Mischa Thomas hugs her family after placing 8th in the Women's Freeski Halfpipe Final at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo: www.photosport.nz
Mischa Thomas has finished eighth in the women's freeski halfpipe, completing New Zealand's involvement at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
In her opening run of the final the 17 year old dropped in with a switch (backwards) and then included a right-side 360 tail grab, a left-side 900 tail grab, a right-side 540 mute, an alley-oop 360 Japan, a switch left alley-oop flat spin 540, and a switch left 720 to finish.
Her score of 77.75 placed her fourth after run one.
However Thomas couldn't improve in her second run.
"It's an insane experience," she said after the competition. "To have my team around me, my family here, it's pretty special. It's the biggest honour to wear the fern, it's a real pinch me moment."
China's Eileen Gu retained her halfpipe crown to become the most decorated Olympic freestyle skier of all time with six medals.
Gu's compatriot Li Fanghui won silver, and the bronze went to Zoe Atkin of Britain.
New Zealand finished the Games with two silver (Zoi Sadowski-Synnott) and one bronze (Luca Harrington), finishing 22nd on the medal table.
Norway topped the medal table with 41 including 18 gold, the USA finished second with 33 medals and 12 gold.
Harrington, who grabbed his medal in the freeski slopestyle, was named to carry the New Zealand flag in the closing ceremony.
France will host the 2030 Winter Games.
- Reuters with additional reporting from RNZ
