Ferreira Completes Olympic Medal Collection with Gold in Men’s Halfpipe

American freeskier Alex Ferreira captured gold in the men’s halfpipe final at the Milan Cortina Games on Friday, completing a remarkable Olympic medal collection that spans three consecutive Winter Games.

The 31-year-old veteran put down a spectacular third and final run at the Livigno Snow Park, scoring 93.75 points to secure the top spot on the podium. The victory adds a gold medal to his previous Olympic achievements – silver at Pyeongchang 2018 and bronze at Beijing 2022.

“This is the culmination of everything I’ve worked for,” said Ferreira, moments after his victory. “To complete the set with gold, silver, and bronze across three Olympics is something I never could have dreamed of as a kid.”

Ferreira’s path to the top has been one of persistence and steady improvement. After breaking onto the international scene in 2018 with his silver medal performance, he has remained a fixture in the sport’s elite ranks while many of his contemporaries have retired or fallen from contention.

The Aspen, Colorado native has been known throughout his career for his technical precision and amplitude in the halfpipe, regularly soaring higher than his competitors while maintaining impeccable form. Those qualities were on full display during Friday’s final, where judges rewarded his combination of difficulty, height, and execution.

The competition at Livigno was particularly fierce, with several younger competitors pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the discipline. However, Ferreira’s experience proved invaluable as he remained composed under pressure, delivering his best performance when it mattered most.

US Ski Team CEO Sophie Goldschmidt was among the first to congratulate Ferreira at the bottom of the pipe. “Alex exemplifies everything we value in our athletes – dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship,” Goldschmidt said. “To watch him complete this journey from silver to bronze to gold over eight years is simply extraordinary.”

The emotional highlight came when Ferreira embraced his father, Marcelo, who has been a constant presence throughout his son’s career. The elder Ferreira emigrated from Argentina before Alex was born and introduced his son to skiing at an early age in Colorado.

“My dad sacrificed everything to give me this opportunity,” Ferreira said, his voice breaking. “He worked multiple jobs when I was growing up just so I could compete. This gold medal is as much his as it is mine.”

Freestyle skiing has evolved dramatically since Ferreira’s Olympic debut, with athletes now performing tricks that were considered impossible just a few years ago. The halfpipe discipline in particular has seen rapid progression, with competitors now regularly performing multiple double and triple rotations with complex grabs and axis variations.

Despite being one of the older competitors in the field, Ferreira has managed to adapt his style while maintaining the fundamentals that have made him consistently successful. His winning run included several signature moves alongside newer technical elements that demonstrated his continued evolution as an athlete.

The victory further solidifies Ferreira’s legacy as one of the most decorated American freestyle skiers in Olympic history. Only a handful of athletes have managed to medal in the same event across three consecutive Winter Games.

Team USA officials noted that Ferreira’s achievement provides a significant boost to the American contingent at the Milan Cortina Games, where they’ve been in a tight medal count race with several other nations.

As Ferreira celebrated with an American flag draped around his shoulders, he took a moment to acknowledge the crowd, many of whom have followed his career progression over the past decade. The traditional medal ceremony, where he was seen biting his gold medal in celebration, capped an emotional day for the American champion.

“The Olympic journey is special,” Ferreira reflected. “Each one has its own story, its own challenges. To stand on top of the podium today, with all three medals now in my collection, is the perfect ending to this chapter.”