American star Alex Ferreira finally reached the peak of the podium on Friday, winning his first Olympic gold medal in the men’s freeski halfpipe at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

After winning silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022, the 31-year-old from Aspen, Colorado, delivered a spectacular final run at the Livigno Snow Park to “complete the rainbow.”

Ferreira entered his third and final run under immense pressure but soared through the frosty night air to earn a massive score of 93.75.

His performance featured a technical masterclass of back-to-back 1620s and switch 1080s, punctuated by his signature move, spinning his ski pole above his head in celebration before even seeing his score.

The battle for the podium was razor-thin. Estonia’s 19-year-old Henry Sildaru secured the silver medal with a score of 93.00, while Canada’s Brendan Mackay claimed the bronze with 91.00.

Reflecting on the decade-long journey to the top, Ferreira called it the “best moment of my life. Easily. Blown out of the water, not even close.”

He acknowledged the difficulty of the wait, stating, “They certainly didn’t give it to me easy. I had to keep working. If they gave it to me in 2018, who knows if I would be here tonight. The universe has a weird way of working itself out. I’m just super grateful for this moment.”