Olympic Rookie Charlotte Wilson Places 6th in Moguls Debut

Charlotte Wilson walked onto the Olympic moguls course Wednesday morning not expecting much from her debut. By the end of the day, the 20-year-old Australian had topped qualifying rounds and finished sixth in one of freestyle skiing's toughest events.

Wilson bounced back from mistakes in Tuesday's qualifying with three near-perfect runs in the finals at Italy's Milano Cortina Games. She scored 77.79 to secure her finals spot, improved to 78.38 in the first final round, and sealed sixth place with a 75.17 in her last run.

"It's definitely not what I anticipated when I came out this morning, but it just got better and better," Wilson said after competing in her first Super Final of the season. "I was focusing more on the skiing than the atmosphere and the outcome, and that really works for me."

The day brought tougher news for teammate Jakara Anthony, the defending Olympic champion who entered as the top qualifier. Anthony skied brilliantly through early rounds, scoring 83.96 in her first finals run to claim the top spot for the Super Final.

But as the last skier down the course, Anthony uncharacteristically slipped in the middle section despite a clean opening. Though she recovered and finished the run, she scored 60.81 and placed eighth overall.

"I'm bummed obviously," Anthony said. "I think I had what it took to take that top step, but didn't put it down on the last when it counted."

Wilson immediately wrapped her teammate in a hug after the final. "I told her I was proud of her," Wilson said. "As a team we win together and we lose together, and another three days and she'll be back at it fighting for another gold."

The crowd at Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park roared with Australian fans in green and gold. Wilson said their energy fueled her confidence rather than adding pressure.

"All these people are here because they're proud of me and want to see me ski, not because they want to see me win a medal," she explained.

The Bright Side

Anthony won't have to wait four years for redemption. The Dual Moguls event starts Saturday, giving her a chance to compete again in just three days. The head-to-head format makes its Olympic debut, and both Australian women will return to the course.

"I'm still really happy with my process and how I went about this competition," Anthony said, already turning her focus forward. "We'll shift the focus and learn what we can."

America claimed gold and silver, with 20-year-old Elizabeth Lemley winning (82.30) ahead of Jaelin Kauf (80.77). France's Perrine Laffont, the 2018 champion, took bronze.

Wilson's sixth place finish marks the emergence of a new Australian moguls star, while Anthony's grace under pressure reminds us that champions know how to rise again.