LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Kira Kimura won Japan's first-ever men's snowboard big air Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games on Saturday, producing a stunning final run to seal the title.

Kimura scored 179.5 points to top the podium under the lights at Livigno Snow Park, edging out compatriot Ryoma Kimata and defending Olympic champion Su Yiming of China.

Scores from two highest-scoring runs in the three rounds are combined to determine the athlete's overall score.

Japan and China are the dominant forces in the discipline but Japan had never won a medal of any colour since big air made its Olympic debut in 2018.

In the big air event, snowboarders launch themselves into the air from a steeply banked jump and complete as many tricks as they can.