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Andrew McGarry, Luke Pentony and Simon Smale

Jakara Anthony wins Australia's first gold at Beijing Winter Olympics with women's moguls victory

Jakara Anthony is Australia's first Winter Olympic gold medallist since 2010. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

Jakara Anthony has created history by winning Australia's first gold medal in the women's moguls at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

It was Australia's first gold in Beijing, breaking a 12-year drought since an Australian last topped the podium at the Winter Games.

Anthony is Australia's sixth Winter Olympic champion.

Her victory also delivered Australia two medals on the same day at an Winter Olympics for the first time, following Tess Coady's bronze in the women's slopestyle earlier on Sunday.

Anthony has dominated the women's moguls competition since it began on Thursday.

Anthony topped the standings in all three finals. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

She had the highest score in the opening qualification phase, leaving her with a target on her back ahead of Sunday's first final.

But the 23-year-old showed cool nerves to again top the standings in the first final, with an outstanding score of 81.91.

She repeated the dose in the second final with the top score of 81.29, meaning she would be the last skier to head down the course in the super final.

However, her task was not made easy when American Jaelin Kauf — the second last skier in the super final — produced a score of 80.28.

Anthony was not overwhelmed by the occasion, however, and she clinched gold with 83.09.

'Stayed focused on what I needed to do'

She said she refused to be distracted by the performances of her rivals throughout the three finals.

"I really just tried to stay focused on what I needed to do," Anthony said.

"That was all I could control in the moment."

Anthony won Australia's sixth gold medal in Winter Olympics history. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

Anthony paid tribute to the support her family had given her on her journey to the Olympics.

"There is so much support. I have a massive support team around me," she said.

"Obviously, my family, they have been key to that my whole life. The opportunity they have given me and the sacrifices they have made. I really, really can't thank them enough.

"I am so thankful and grateful for everything that they have done for me."

Kauf claimed the silver medal behind Anthony, with Anastasiia Smirnova of the Russian Olympic Committee finishing with the bronze.

Anthony's fellow Australians Britt Cox and Sophie Ash placed 14th and 16th respectively on the final standings.

Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.

Key events

Live updates

By Andrew Mcgarry

What a night! What a golden performance for Jakara Anthony

Well, we didn't know how things would go - it's been an up and down night at Zhangjiakou.

Sophie Ash made it through Q2 to reach the finals, then she and Britteny Cox found the going a bit too hot in final 1, but Jakara Anthony maintained her dominant position to advance.

She kept hitting those 80-plus scores, landing big air and getting the job done.

Even when challenged in the final by speed queen Jaelin Kauf, she produced the run of the competition to claim gold. 

That's where we'll leave it. We'll have colour coverage in the morning from our man in Beijing, Simon Smale, including the reaction from Jakara Anthony.

For now, thank you for joining us on our live blog, and from me, Andrew McGarry, it's a good night to all.

By Andrew Mcgarry

While we're waiting to hear from Australia's newest gold medallist, you have to think this will give a huge boost to the team.

Together with Tess Coady's bronze medal in the snowboard slopestyle, it's a fabulous start to the campaign.

We've still got the likes of Bree Walker in monobob, Scotty James in the halfpipe, Jaclyn Narracott in the skeleton and Belle Brockhurst in snowboard cross still to come.

By Andrew Mcgarry

The podium for the women's moguls in Beijing

GOLD: Jakara Anthony (Australia) 83.09 

SILVER: Jaelin Kauf (United States) 80.28

BRONZE: Anastasiia Smirnova (ROC) 77.72

By Andrew Mcgarry

What an amazing final to watch!!! Go, Jakara!!!!! Well done to her and all of the athletes that competed today!!

-M
Nerves of steel! It’s one thing to be red hot favourite and it’s another to deliver - so well done!

-Sproj
AMAZING!!

-One word

Well done Jakara Anthony!

-Mike
Woohoo! Fantastic result for Jakara Anthony! And shout out to Brittney and Ash for doing so well. Queen of moguls....Gold! Gold! Gold! Tell me that wasn't worth staying up for!

-Mogul magic!

By Andrew Mcgarry

By Andrew Mcgarry

What an amazing performance by Jakara Anthony!!

Was it the perfect backflip mute grab at the bottom of the course? Was it the air and the solid turns?

Who knows, but the Australian has put in a golden performance, the team's first since Lydia Lassila and Torah Bright in Vancouver 12 years ago.

This also means it's the first time ever that Australia has won two medals on the same day of a Winter Games.

Just brilliant!

Audience comment by Gold!!!

Woohoo so we’ll deserved Jakara Anthony. What an amazing achievement!

By Andrew Mcgarry

Key Event

Jakara Anthony wins the gold medal in women's moguls with a score of 83.09 for Australia's sixth-ever Winter Olympic title!!

By Andrew Mcgarry

Australia's Jakara Anthony in the Super final

There is one competitor left, and it's Australia's Jakara Anthony.

She needs another 80-plus. What will she do?

A great first jump - she is hitting the turns and a great middle.

She's solid, she gets the second jump - she's home in 27.63!

What will the judges do?

By Andrew Mcgarry

United States' Jaelin Kauf

Can the American speed queen get it done?

She flies down as usual. her first jump is big, and she's in the zone through the middle.

What about the last jump? It's big, and she's fast - 26.37!

And she hits the front with 80.28! Over to you, Jakara Anthony.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Japan's Anri Kawamura

What can Kawamura do? A medal is within the 17-year-old's grasp.

If she can get an 80 here she can set the cat among the pigeons.

Its a big first jump, good through the middle - and a great second jump.

28 seconds dead. Can she hit the front?

NO! It's 77.12. Three competitors within a point of each other right now. Two left.

By Andrew Mcgarry

It's reverse order for the Super final. Next up is debutant Anastasiia Smirnova from the ROC.

Big bottom jump, a decent time of 27.59.

She scores 77.72 - that means we will have a new champion. 

By Andrew Mcgarry

Women's moguls final 3

American Olivia Giaccio is first up in the Super final.

It's not that fast, a reasonable run but nothing spectacular. She earns 75.61 - that won't be a medal, I don't think.

Next is defending champion Perrine Laffont of France. What can she do?

She goes out fast, reasonable jump - the middle is ok, last jump slow but landed well.

She gets 77.36. That's first - for now.

By Andrew Mcgarry

What's ahead for Jakara Anthony?

So where are we at with the medal round to go?

Queensland's Jakara Anthony has been the best all the way through this competition - but there are no guarantees.

Strap yourselves in this won't take long.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Key Event

Australia's Jakara Anthony tops final 2

Can she do it again?

She's off solid, a good first jump.

Solid middle section - a backflip mute grab on the second air. It's all good. She will go through, a time of 27.82. The air points 17.74, that's big!

She tops final 2 as well - 81.29.

The Aussie is one good run away from a medal ... one great run away from a gold!

By Andrew Mcgarry

Japan's Anri Kawamura

Kawamura had a blinder in final 1. Can she go better in final 2?

She has a great middle section and a solid second jump, the time is 28.37. The score? 78.84 - she's through.

Now there is one competitor left...

By Andrew Mcgarry

Olympic champion Perrine Laffont

She lands her first jump but is slow out of it, gets things going but has another little slip before the second jump.

A time of 27.93, not a perfect run, but 77.62 will put her through.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Olivia Giaccio of the US is next up - she goes well, but barely sticks the landing on her bottom jump.

Her time of 29.51 is not that fast, but she scores 77.57 and she will make the top six.

Now the US has another in the final. 

Jaelin Kauf has pure speed - she stops the clock at 26.49!

Everything else is good, and she cracks the 80 point mark with 80.12. She is right in it for a medal now if she can replicate that in the Super final.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Now Pyeongchang bronze medallist Yuliya Galysheva has had problems with her pole plants on the way down as well. She doesn't fall but she loses momentum, and her score of 49.74 is not enough.

There are three more Americans to come in final 2 - the first is Kai Owens. She has a big wobble right before her second jump, somehow manages to regather and land it, and goes over in a decent time.

But her score of 65.49 will not make the grade.

By Andrew Mcgarry

Canada's Sofiane Gagnon crashes out

We have another crash for Canada! Sofiane Gagnon loses control early, plants her pole but it doesn't go in right and she takes a fall.

She looks ok and skis to the bottom safely, but that is very disappointing.

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