Jakara Anthony has become Australia’s first-ever Winter Olympics dual gold medallist in emotional scenes on Saturday night, bouncing back from heartbreak in the moguls final.
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Anthony had been favourite to win Olympic women’s moguls gold earlier in the week only to fall short in the final run of the individual event, placing eighth.
But she had a chance at redemption on Saturday as she competed against American Jaelin Kauf in the final of the dual moguls.
She defeated Kauf 20-15 to make Australian sporting history in more ways than one, with three golds and one silver making this the nation’s greatest Winter Olympics.
Anthony previously won Australia’s only Olympic Winter Games gold at Beijing 2022 when she claimed first place in the women’s moguls.
“Man, that’s crazy,” Anthony told Channel Nine when told she had become Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian.
“I’m even just more baffled to be here after the other day, it’s been such an emotional rollercoaster the last few days, and I haven’t seen the runs yet, but I think I’m pretty proud of the runs I was able to put down today.”
Anthony’s triumph on Saturday was made even more impressive by the way the moguls final unfolded earlier in the week, with the 27-year-old admitting “a lot of tears” had been shed.
But she also said there had been “a lot of excitement”, referring to the gold medals won by fellow Australians Josie Baff and Cooper Woods.
“We’ve had a couple more gold medals, but then it was just hanging in the back of my mind, I’ve got one more crack at this, and then it’s another four-year wait,” Anthony added.
“The way we were able to go about today was just phenomenal, we built throughout the day. It was tricky in there. I’m just so proud of what we were able to achieve.”
Anthony later shed more light on the emotional toll defeat in the moguls final took on her.
“It was a real rollercoaster today. The heartbreak the other day in singles was a pretty tough pill to swallow,” Anthony said.
“I’m lucky to be so well-supported and we were able to reset and look forward to what it is we can do in duals. This is actually only my second duals event in about two and a half years because I was out injured all last season and missed a lot of dual events this season.
“I was rolling with a lot of unknowns heading into this competition and we were able to work out a plan and follow that and roll with the punches a little bit, and we got it done.”
“This one is really different to the last one because I picked this up after the heartbreak of the other day,” Anthony said.
“It speaks a lot to the support I have around me and the work I’ve done on the mental side of things as well. To be able to handle that and come out today and rip it up.”
Todd Woodbridge, meanwhile, declared it “one of the great performances” in Australian sporting history given the way Anthony turned her fortunes around after missing the podium in her favourite singles event.
“She puts herself in Australian sporting history. She becomes an icon,” Woodbridge added.
Anthony’s mother Sue was lost for words when speaking to Channel Nine after her daughter’s incredible gold medal moment.
“I can’t even process it. I just can’t believe it,” Sue said.
“She’s amazing to be able to get (that) mindset to where she can come and do that… it’s fantastic. It’s amazing.
“I don’t have any words, which is really surprising… can’t wait to get to her.”
Anthony breezed through the early stages of Saturday’s event after posting a score of 35 to beat South Africa’s Malica Malherbe before advancing to the quarterfinals with a 27-8 win over Canada’s Jessica Linton.
She then beat American Olivia Giaccio to progress through to the semis and won against individual gold medallist Elizabeth Lemley to book her place in the final.
The rest is history, even if Anthony can’t believe it.
“It’s really crazy when you look at it like that,” she said.
“I’m just riding the high of this one right now. I can’t even think about the fact that I have two. This is really special.”