How excited was Austria’s Benjamin Karl to win his second consecutive gold medal in the men’s parallel giant slalom? He disregarded the chilly, snowy circumstances on the Livigno Snow Park and ditched his ski clothes to flex in victory.
Karl, 40, trailed South Korea’s Kim Sang-kyum via a lot of the ultimate, however raced downhill and capitalized on a late mistake to end 0.19 seconds forward to win gold. Bulgaria’s Tervel Zamfirov received Bronze in the occasion.
After successful gold in the men’s snowboarding parallel giant slalom, Austria’s Benjamin Karl shed his high and laid face-down in the snow. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
(Hannah Peters through Getty Images)
As if going shirtless in the snow wasn’t sufficient, Karl continued his celebration by kneeling to toss the powder in the air earlier than mendacity face-down in the snow for what is going to certainly be one of the exuberant shows of triumph on the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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Karl may have been drained after ending his run in addition to shedding 4 layers of clothes in celebration. This wasn’t Brandi Chastain after Team USA received the ladies’s World Cup in 1999 on the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Karl’s celebration took a bit longer.
With the win, Karl efficiently defended the gold medal he received on the 2022 Beijing Games. He additionally grew to become the primary snowboarder to win 4 Olympic medals with the bronze he earned at Sochi in 2014 and silver he took in 2010 at Vancouver.