FROM 12TH PLACE TO FINALS: VALENTINO GUSELI REWRITES HIS 2026 OLYMPIC STORY
Valentino Guseli snatched a last-minute spot in the 2026 Olympic Big Air final with a miracle 1980 jump in Milano.
Valentino Guseli pulled off something wild at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. He grabbed a last-second chance and somehow turned it into a spot in the men’s snowboard big air final—when, honestly, he wasn’t even supposed to be there.
This 20-year-old Aussie only qualified for the halfpipe. Big air? He figured he’d just be watching. Then, out of nowhere, Canada’s Mark McMorris crashed in training, and suddenly the door swung open. Guseli found out the night before that he might get the call-up. By Thursday evening, he stood at the top of the ramp, everything on the line.
“I was hoping I’d be riding tonight,” Guseli said. “I found out last night there was a chance, and unfortunately, Mark had a bit of a spill and couldn’t compete.”
So there he was. Two qualification runs—73.25 and 71.50. Not bad, but not enough. He needed to break into the top 12, and time was running out. Everything rested on one last shot.
What happened next? It’s the kind of thing you replay in your head for years. Guseli launched himself off the jump, spun a switch backside 1980 with a tailgrab—five and a half dizzying rotations, locked in and soaring. He stomped the landing. The scoreboard flashed 91.50, tying the second-best score of the night.
He couldn’t quite believe it. Arms in the air, snowboard tossed sky-high, teammates lifting him as the news came through: 12th place, the last ticket to the finals. A commentator called it a “miracle in Milano”, and honestly, that pretty much nailed it.
Afterwards, Guseli tried to describe what went through his mind in midair. “I reached a state I haven’t been in for a while—flow state. It all just happened for me,” he said. “Sometimes you drop in, and it’s like you don’t even have to try. The trick just works. I got to the bottom and, like, snapped back into reality. It was pretty crazy.”
His journey hasn’t been easy. Back in Beijing in 2022, he finished sixth in the halfpipe at just 16. He won the FIS Park and Pipe Crystal Globe in both 2023 and 202,4 but then tore his ACL late in 2024. That injury knocked him out of action for almost a year, costing him early qualification chances in big air and slopestyle.
He barely had time to practise this Olympic jump. “By the time I did my last jump, I’d only hit this jump 10 times,” he said. “Usually, you’ve hit it 50 or 60 times before you compete. So to make finals now—I’m just so stoked. Definitely one of the top moments of my life.”
Right before that final run, there was a moment of doubt. His dad—who’s also his coach—suggested he might need to go even bigger to get the score. For a second, Guseli hesitated. “I thought, ‘I’m not going to try a Hail Mary and get destroyed,’” he admitted. “Then I thought, ‘It’s the Olympics, man.’”
Now he’s into Saturday’s big air final, rewriting his own Olympic story. He’ll also compete in the halfpipe, where he’s a real medal threat alongside Scotty James.
And there’s something special about doing all this in Italy—his father’s homeland. “Out of all the Olympics I’ll do, this is the one I want to do best in,” Guseli said earlier. “It’s the closest thing to a home Olympics I’ll ever have.”
LAKERS ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
