Milan, Italy, February 18, 2026: Mari Fukada earned Japan’s fourth snowboarding gold medal - and fifth gold overall - of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games by winning the women’s slopestyle on Wednesday.
Japan now has 22 total medals, four more than their previous record haul of 18 at Beijing 2022. Four of their five gold medals have come in snowboarding, along with two silver and three bronze medals for nine medals in snowboarding alone.
Fukada led with 87.83 points from her third and final attempt. New Zealand’s Beijing 2022 champion, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, took silver with a best score of 87.48, ahead of Japan’s Kokomo Murase with 85.80.
It was Fukada’s first Olympic medal while Murase added bronze to her big air crown.
Fukada, 19, put Japan’s success down to hard work before turning her attention to how she navigated her way to gold.
“I couldn't believe it, but when I put the gold medal around my neck and felt its weight, I thought how glad I was that I hadn't done this just for myself, but together with everyone around me,” Fukada said.
“I still can't believe it. I'm glad to be here and I want to thank all my support and team for helping me get here.”
Japan's 22 medals are comprised of five gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals.