In the snowboard halfpipe at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, Japanese riders reached the podium in both the men’s and women’s events. In the men’s competition, Yuto Totsuka posted a massive 95.00 to win his first Olympic gold medal, while Ryusei Yamada captured bronze. In the women’s final the day before, Mitsuki Ono took bronze, making it a night when Japan’s halfpipe program stood on top of the world.
Podiums in both men’s and women’s — Japan’s halfpipe “golden generation” delivers a stunning display
The men’s final was held on the night of the 13th (local time) at a sold-out Livigno Snow Park. When Totsuka landed a perfect second run in the three-run format, a roar rippled through the stands. Scotty James (Australia), who rode immediately after, fired off a series of high-level tricks for a 93.50, but fell just short of Totsuka’s 95.00.
Japan’s depth was on full display: Yamada won bronze with 92.00, Ruka Hirano placed 4th with 91.00, and Ayumu Hirano finished 7th. With four Japanese riders among the 12 finalists, Japan underscored just how deep its halfpipe talent pool has become.
Men’s Halfpipe Final: Yuto Totsuka claims long-awaited gold with a “perfect second run”
Totsuka’s second run centered on a triple cork 1440 out of switch, with a high-difficulty layout mixing backside and frontside variations. Height, clean landings, and variety—everything convinced the judges. The 24-year-old, who endured a major crash at PyeongChang 2018 and narrowly missed a medal at Beijing 2022, finally reached the top on his third Olympics.
Pushing him all the way to the end was Scotty James, known by the nickname “Boxing Kangaroo.” On his final run he tried to raise the difficulty by going for a 1620, but a slight break on landing led to a fall. Even so, his 93.50 from run two secured silver. Youngster Yamada combined big rotation with stability to pull in a 92.00, delivering Japan another bronze medal.
Totsuka’s gold is Japan’s third gold medal in snowboarding at these Games. Following Kai Kimura’s gold in men’s big air and Kokomo Murase’s gold in women’s big air, a Japanese rider has now also stood atop the halfpipe podium.
Women’s Halfpipe: Gaon Choi wins gold; Mitsuki Ono earns her first-ever Olympic medal
In the women’s final held on the 12th, Gaon Choi (South Korea) won gold with 90.25. Chloe Kim (USA), aiming for a third straight Olympic title, took silver with 88.00, while Mitsuki Ono slid into bronze with 85.00.
After a tough qualification, Ono chose an aggressive approach from her first final run. Mixing a frontside 900 and high-rotation backside tricks, she paired big air with clean landings to produce an 85.00. She was later passed by the top two, but her face still showed a sense of fulfillment through the finish.
For Japan, Sara Shimizu placed 4th with 84.00, Toshiyuki Kudo finished 5th with 81.75, and Sena Tomita took 9th—another sign that multiple Japanese riders made their presence felt in the women’s final.
Here is the post from the official FIS Snowboard account of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) sharing Ono’s bronze medal.
Final Results (Based on Official Results)
Men’s Halfpipe Final — Top 6
| Place | Rider | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Yuto Totsuka | Japan | 95.00 |
| 2nd | Scotty James | Australia | 93.50 |
| 3rd | Ryusei Yamada | Japan | 92.00 |
| 4th | Ruka Hirano | Japan | 91.00 |
| 5th | Valentino Guseli | Australia | 88.00 |
| 6th | Chaeun Lee | South Korea | 87.50 |
Source: Official results / NBC Olympics results page, etc.
Women’s Halfpipe Final — Top 6
| Place | Rider | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Gaon Choi | South Korea | 90.25 |
| 2nd | Chloe Kim | United States | 88.00 |
| 3rd | Mitsuki Ono | Japan | 85.00 |
| 4th | Sara Shimizu | Japan | 84.00 |
| 5th | Toshiyuki Kudo | Japan | 81.75 |
| 6th | Cai Xuetong | China | 80.75 |
Source: Official results / Olympic official site (Women’s Halfpipe)
Japan’s snowboarding medal surge and what halfpipe means within it
At these Games, Japan’s snowboard team has already won big air golds from Kai Kimura (men) and Kokomo Murase (women), plus a silver from Ryoma Kimata. Adding halfpipe—one gold (Totsuka) and two bronzes (Yamada, Ono)—brings snowboarding alone to an astonishing six medals: 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze.
In halfpipe especially, Japan has gathered world-class talent at the same time: on the men’s side with Totsuka, Yamada, Ruka Hirano, and Ayumu Hirano; and on the women’s side with Ono, Shimizu, Kudo, and Tomita. From qualifiers through finals, Japanese riders have pushed each other with line choices and trick layouts—making the discipline so competitive that some even say “getting through domestic selection is harder.”
Toward the “next four years”: Japan halfpipe’s challenges and upside
While Totsuka finally achieved his long-held dream on the men’s side, Beijing champion Ayumu Hirano finished 7th. Injuries and condition have been discussed, but if Japan is to remain at the top of the world, the key will be whether multiple aces—each with their own style—can keep aiming for the summit at the same time.
On the women’s side, even with Ono’s long-awaited Olympic medal, gold medalist Gaon Choi and the still-elite Chloe Kim remain major obstacles. For Japan, the task will be to raise not only difficulty, but also the overall “presentation” and completeness of the run.
Even so, the total strength Japan’s halfpipe squad has shown at these Games is undeniable. With big air as well, Japan is increasingly becoming a “park & pipe powerhouse.” How will it carry this momentum into the next World Championships—and the 2030 Games? The story of the “golden generation” born in Milano Cortina has only just begun.
