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Gold medalist Walter Wallberg of Sweden stands on the podium after the men’s moguls freestyle skiing finals on Saturday at the 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China. Photo by Bob Strong/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 5 (UPI) — Sweden’s Walter Wallberg turned in the biggest run of his career to upset defending Olympic champion Mikael Kingsbury of Canada in Saturday’s men’s moguls final at the Winter Games in Beijing.
The 21-year-old Wallberg, coming off three knee surgeries in two years, took home the gold medal in the men’s freestyle skiing event with his score of 83.23 at Genting Snow Park.
“Mik has always been an idol of mine since I started skiing moguls,” Wallberg said. “I remember asking him how he’s tuning his skis and tips in the moguls. Always been looking up to him.”
Wallberg earned points for his speed over the technical skiing style of Kingsbury, whose nickname is the “King of Moguls” because of his dominance in the event. Kingsbury finished with a score of 82.18 for silver.
Japan’s Ikuma Horishima earned bronze with his score of 81.48.
“He gets to sit on the throne today,” the 29-year-old Kingsbury said of Wallberg. “It was a special run that he did. He deserves it, very happy for him. I’ve known Walter for a long time and I told him, ‘Welcome to the club.’
“I’ll keep going. I love what I do. I’ll keep working hard for the next few years.”
Wallberg’s stunning victory halts the men’s moguls dominance of Team Canada, which had won the event in the past three Winter Games.
This was Wallberg’s first major win on the senior circuit. He has never won a World Cup event.
Nick Page led the Americans with a fifth-place finish Saturday. The last American man to win a medal in the men’s moguls event was Bryon Wilson, who won bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Walter Wallberg of Sweden performs a jump in the Men’s Moguls Freestyle Skiing finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, China, on February 5, 2022. Photo by Bob Strong/UPI | License Photo
