American Jake Canter gets bronze at the Winter Olympics

American Jake Canter had to wait what probably felt like a millennium to see if he would finish on the podium in the men’s snowboard slopestyle at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday.

Canter was third after scoring 79.36 on his final run of the competition. But he still had to wait for Canada’s Mark McMorris, Norway’s Marcus Kleveland and New Zealand’s Dane Menzies to complete their races before he could celebrate.

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From the bottom of the hill, Canter watched as McMorris crashed hard to the ground on his final jump. Kleveland had a terrific final run, but scored only 78.86. Menzies was the last snowboarder to go and he crashed out, lying on the ground in disbelief.

Canter finally celebrated when he learned he won the bronze medal.

China’s Su Yiming won the gold medal and Taiga Hasegawa

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Jake Canter of the United States reacts during the men’s snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

It is the first Olympic medal for Canter in his first Winter Olympic appearance. He was able to represent Team USA on the world stage after winning a World Cup competition in Aspen, Colorado in the 2025-26 season. In that case, he topped Su and Menzies.

The WC season will start again in March when the events move to Flachau, Austria and Sivapalan, Switzerland.

Bronze medalist Jake Canter of the United States holds his medal after the men’s snowboarding slopestyle finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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The U.S. was last on the podium at the Olympics in the event in 2018 when Red Gerard took home the gold. Gerard finished sixth on Wednesday.