Mikael Kingsbury couldn't have come any closer to winning Canada's first gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
The Canadian moguls legend had the same score as Cooper Woods on Thursday (83.71 points), but the Australian got Milano Cortina 2026 gold by virtue of his better turn score.
It is Kingsbury's fourth career Olympic medal — three silver and one gold. He is the first freestyle skier in history to have four Olympic medals.
"God, that was close," Kingsbury told CBC Olympics after the event. "Same score as the winner. Just a little tiebreak, but very proud of myself. Happy for Cooper. He's an amazing guy and he deserves it, but it's — I don't want to say 'bittersweet' because I'm very happy, but how can you be closer to a gold medal than that?"
Canada now has five medals — two silver, three bronze — at these Olympics.
Kingsbury, the second-last skier in the final, edged out Japan's Ikuma Horishima (83.44 points) to take the lead.
As the Deux-Montagnes, Que., athlete waited in the finish area, Woods put down a great run.
The same score came up, but it showed Woods in first place, triggering the Australian's celebration.
Woods scored 48.4 turn points, while Kingsbury had 47.7.
Woods was a surprise winner. He finished ninth at last year's world championships.
Kingsbury, 33, is the most dominant moguls skier of all time. He has 100 career World Cup wins and nine world championship golds.
The Canadian has been slowed by a groin injury this season, but still won gold at a home World Cup in Quebec last month before narrowly missing an Olympic title.
"It means a lot. I worked very hard the past four years for this medal and especially the last couple months since I got injured in September. The road was very hard to get back to the level I am," he said.
He will compete again in Italy when dual moguls makes its Olympic debut.
"I know it might be my last one. I still have the dual and I look forward to the dual but I'm very proud of myself. I'm excited for the rest but I'm gonna enjoy tonight," Kingsbury said.
Canada's Julien Viel finished sixth in the Olympic final.
