United States’ Jaelin Kauf wins second silver in Olympic dual moguls after a tiny mistake leads Jakara Anthony towards gold

Jaelin Kauf of the United States of America claimed her second silver medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 after a tense women’s dual moguls final. She was beaten by Australia’s Jakara Anthony, who delivered a strong and clean run to secure the gold medal.

Kauf had looked set for victory but made a tiny mistake midway down the course. Her ski slipped for a brief moment. That error allowed Anthony to close the gap and finish ahead on both speed and judging points.Elizabeth Lemley added another medal for Team USA by winning bronze. The 20-year-old from Vail, Colorado, bounced back after a dramatic semifinal crash. The women’s dual moguls competition made its Olympic debut this year.

The format created several surprising moments, crashes, and close decisions. Two more Americans, Olivia Giaccio and Tess Johnson, were eliminated in the quarterfinals despite strong early runs.

Chaotic races and a dramatic finish for Jakara Anthony

Dual moguls features head-to-head racing in a knockout bracket. Skiers compete side by side. Judges score turns and aerial tricks while timing also matters. The combination makes every heat unpredictable.Jaelin Kauf’s path to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 women’s dual moguls final was dramatic.

In the semifinal she faced France’s Perrine Laffont. Both athletes crashed during their runs. Laffont struggled to regain balance after her first jump and accidentally went around a gate incorrectly. That mistake resulted in disqualification. Kauf also stumbled over a mogul but recovered quickly and continued down the course to advance.The other semifinal saw Lemley compete against Jakara Anthony. Lemley lost a ski on her second jump and slid down the slope on her stomach.

Minutes later she returned for the bronze medal race against Laffont. She finished almost one second slower, but judges favored her higher-difficulty trick on the second jump. She won the air score and secured bronze, appearing surprised when the result was announced.The final between Kauf and Anthony stayed close. Anthony finished just over half a second faster. She also earned higher judging marks for technique and tricks, winning comfortably on points. Kauf settled for silver, adding to her earlier medal from individual moguls, while Anthony completed her redemption after missing gold earlier in the week.