- - Winter Olympics: Tiniest mistake costs Jaelin Kauf gold in dual moguls

Dan Wolken February 14, 2026 at 5:21 AM

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Jakara Anthony of Team Australia and Jaelin Kauf of Team United States compete in the Women's Dual Moguls Big Final on day eight of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Air Park on February 14, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) (David Ramos via Getty Images)

LIVIGNO, Italy — American Jaelin Kauf added a second silver medal to her Olympic haul in a dramatic women’s dual moguls event, while individual moguls gold medalist Elizabeth Lemley added a bronze.Kauf lost the gold medal final to Australia’s Jakara Anthony, the pre-Olympic favorite who earned revenge after her final run in individual moguls went awry earlier this week. Kauf was working on a gold-medal run until a tiny bobble midway down the course caused her left ski to slip out for a split second. That ultimately allowed the chasing Anthony to catch up, win on time and on style.Dual moguls, a new event to the Olympics this this year, matches skiers in a series of head-to-head races where they advance in a single elimination bracket until a winner emerges. Time isn’t the only factor, however, as judges also score turns and tricks just as they would in the regular moguls format.Things got wild in the semifinals. Facing France’s Perrine Laffont, Kauf advanced on a technicality as both skiers crashed. But Laffont, who got stuck trying to keep her balance after landing her first trick, had to ski the wrong way around a gate, which essentially resulted in a disqualification.Kauf tripped over a mogul moments later but stayed on course, got up and advanced.In Lemley’s semifinal against Anthony, she lost her ski landing on the second jump and skidded down the hill on her stomach.

Coming back a few minutes later to ski for the bronze medal, the 20-year old from Vail, Colorado, lost the race to Laffont by .99 seconds but made up ground on her air score, performing a more difficult trick on the second jump to win the judging 18-17. Lemley appeared shocked by the result when the score was announced.Then it was Kauf’s turn. Though the race was close — Anthony won by .56 seconds — Anthony was also technically better and won 20-15 on points.Two other Americans, Olivia Giaccio and Tess Johnson, lost in the quarterfinals.

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Source: “AOL Sports”