ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Italian snowboarder Michela Moioli finally earned an elusive world championship gold medal on Friday despite finishing the race on her back.
Both Moioli and Charlotte Bankes fell at the line in a close photo finish at the end of the snowboard cross event. A replay showed Maioli’s board crossed a few inches ahead of her British rival’s as they slid over the line on their backs.
The 29-year-old Moioli lay flat back on the snow and appeared to be sobbing as she was warmly embraced by Bankes — who was world champion in 2021.
“I made it. I can’t really believe it that I’m a world champion, it sounds weird to me still,” Moioli said with a laugh.
Julia Pereira de Sousa of France was third.
Moioli, who won Olympic gold in the snowboard cross in 2018, had never triumphed at the freestyle skiing and snowboard world championships in four previous attempts.
She won bronze in 2015, 2017 and 2019 and silver in 2021. Moioli, who also had two silver medals from team events, missed the last world championships through injury.
Éliot Grondin of Canada also won a first world title in the men’s event.
Defending champion Jakob Dusek and Austrian compatriot Alessandro Hämmerle — the reigning Olympic champion — were working together for one of them to take the victory but they came into contact on the final bend, allowing Grondin to sneak through for the win.
Loan Bozzolo of France was second, with Hämmerle third.
The 23-year-old Grondin won bronze at the worlds in 2021 and secured silver in the Olympic Games in 2022, when he also took home bronze in the team event.
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The Associated Press
