Top Moguls Skiers Jakara Anthony & Matt Graham Lead Australia

Two of Australia's brightest skiing stars just earned one of the highest honors an Olympian can receive.

Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham, both Olympic medal-winning moguls skiers, will lead Australia into the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Saturday. The pair learned of their selection Wednesday morning in Livigno, Italy, one of several locations hosting ceremonies across the dispersed Games.

"It's probably one of the biggest honours you can receive as an Olympic athlete," said Anthony, the defending Olympic champion. "I'm still lost for words over it."

Anthony has every reason to feel proud. The 27-year-old enters the Games as the world's number one ranked moguls skier after winning three World Cup events this season. Those victories brought her career total to 26 World Cup gold medals, more than any other Australian athlete in the sport.

Graham comes to his fourth Olympic Games riding one of his strongest seasons in years. The 31-year-old sits second in overall World Cup standings with two podiums and claimed his first World Cup victory since 2023 at Ruka, Finland.

That Ruka win made history. Anthony also won gold the same day, marking just the third time Australia has swept both men's and women's events on the same date.

Why This Inspires

Both athletes fought through serious injuries to reach this moment. Anthony missed the entire 2024/25 season with a collarbone injury. Graham's preparation for the Beijing Games four years ago was derailed by similar setbacks.

Their partnership extends beyond shared struggles. Anthony has looked up to Graham throughout her career, watching him win silver in PyeongChang 2018 and claim his first Crystal Globe in the 2020/21 season. Now they share podiums and this latest honor together.

"To do it alongside my teammate Jakara, we've had a lot of special memories together, and this is another one for the books," Graham said. The new father called leading what may be Australia's strongest Winter Olympic team in history "very special."

Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin-Warner praised Anthony's "measured yet dogged pursuit of perfection" and Graham's ability to "lift the team and carry the Aussie spirit."

Two champions who never gave up now get to lead their nation into the Games.