In 2018 Tess Coady was selected as the youngest member of the Australian Winter Olympics squad for the Pyeongchang Games. 

She had qualified to compete in both the Snowboard Slopestyle and Snowboard Big Air tournaments. 

What should have been a wonderful time turned into misfortune before Coady performed in a single Olympic event. 

During a practice run ahead of the Slopestyle tournament, Coady injured herself on the final jump of the course. Strong winds were partially to blame and the fall resulted in the teenager tearing her ACL.  

It took the then reigning junior world champion nearly two years to rehab and return to competition.

It was therefore not only great to see them now 19-year-old back competing in this week’s World Cup slopestyle competition in Seiser Alm, Italy, but also go on to dominate the event. 

For those unfamiliar with the sport, snowboard slopestyle consists of a downhill snow course filled with obstacles such as jumps and rails which snowboarders must use to score as many points as possible.

In the qualification run, Coady finished third.  She then went on to unexpectedly win the event. 

Believing this tournament would be a stepping stone back to full competition, Coady could not hold back her surprise and delight post-awards ceremony. 

This is her second World Cup medal, having won a bronze at the Snowmass, CO, USA event back in January 2018.  It is Australia’s first-ever women’s Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup gold.