Graham finishes season with bronze and second place world ranking
Published Sat 18 Mar 2023
Courtesy OWIA
Matt Graham has finished the mogul skiing season ranked second in the world, after claiming a bronze medal overnight in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
After his 2022 Olympic campaign was decimated by injury, Graham has bounced back in impressive form, with four World Cup medals this season and a spectacular double medal performance at the recent World Championships.
2022 Olympic Champion Jakara Anthony was unable to compete at the World Cup final, but after her dominant performances earlier in the season where she won the opening four events, had an unbeatable lead in the women’s mogul standings to claim the third Crystal Globe and world number one ranking of her career.
In the men’s super-final, Graham put down the fastest run of the round, scoring 78.42 points to finish third, the 22nd World Cup podium of his career.
Taking the win was Canadian Mikael Kingsbury with 85.67 points and local Kazakhstan skier Pavel Kolmakov in second with 78.72.
“Coming off an injury last year to bounce back this way is really exciting for me and fuels the fire moving forward” said the 28-year-old from the NSW Central Coast.
The final event of the season will take place tonight in Kazakhstan, with the athletes competing in the dual moguls event, which will make its Olympic debut at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina in Italy.
With the bronze medal finish, Graham has now moved into third on the overall moguls standings which incorporates both mogul disciplines and will be looking to maintain his spot on the overall podium.
“I am fighting for third in the overall against Walter Wallberg, so I am going to have to battle it out and try and make it through all of the rounds and hopefully come home with the bronze.
“I will leave it all out on the table and give it my all, it’s the last day of the season.”