Scotty James makes history with silver, becomes Australia’s most decorated Winter Olympian

Australian snowboard star Scotty James has cemented his place in Olympic history, becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian in Australia’s history after winning silver in the men’s snowboard halfpipe at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The achievement marks a defining milestone in both his career and the evolution of Australia’s presence in winter sports.

Five-time Olympian Scotty James added another Olympic podium finish with silver in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final in Italy. The result gives him three Winter Olympic medals across three Games, bronze in PyeongChang 2018, silver in Beijing 2022, and silver in Milano-Cortina 2026, making him the first Australian Winter Olympian to reach this milestone.

His achievement surpasses all previous Australian Winter Olympians in medal count, placing him alone at the top of the country’s winter sports record books.


James reflected on the moment after his latest medal, saying “To be the most medal-winning Aussie Winter Olympian is amazing… to have done it over that many years, it’s freaking hard.”

The result also contributed to what officials described as one of the most successful days in Australia’s Winter Olympic history.

James’ historic medal came after a dramatic men’s halfpipe final widely described as one of the most competitive in Olympic history. He produced a standout second run that scored 93.5 but fell on his final trick while chasing gold, ultimately finishing second behind Japan’s Yuto Totsuka.

This marked his second consecutive Olympic silver medal in the event, reinforcing his status as one of the world’s most consistent halfpipe riders.

At age 31 and competing in his fifth Olympics, James demonstrated remarkable longevity in a sport dominated by younger athletes.

James’ Olympic journey spans more than 15 years. He debuted at the Vancouver 2010 Games at just 15 years old, becoming Australia’s youngest male Winter Olympian, a record he still holds.

Since then, his career has been defined by sustained excellence including four-time FIS World Champion in halfpipe and seven X Games halfpipe gold medals.

In recent seasons, he has won major events such as the Laax Open, X Games and World Championships in the same season, underscoring his sustained peak performance leading into the 2026 Games.