In the dynamic world of freestyle skiing, where gravity‑defying tricks and unwavering bravery define elite competitors, few athletes have carved out as compelling a career as Megan Oldham. Born May 12, 2001, in Newmarket, Ontario, and raised in Parry Sound, Ontario, Oldham’s journey from a small‑town Canadian kid to one of the sport’s most decorated athletes is both inspiring and emblematic of freestyle skiing’s evolution over the past decade.
Early Life and Beginnings in Sport
Megan Oldham’s athletic journey began long before she ever strapped on competitive skis. Growing up in Parry Sound, a community deeply connected to winter sport culture, she first skied at the age of five. Her early athletic experiences extended beyond skiing: gymnastics and figure skating taught her body awareness, balance, and spatial precision – foundational skills that would later translate into her aerial maneuvers and rail tricks in freestyle skiing.
The unique combination of disciplines in her youth didn’t just build athletic ability; it cultivated an early understanding of performance under pressure and a comfort with pushing physical boundaries. By her early teens, Oldham had committed to freestyle skiing, training in slopestyle and big air – two of the most technically demanding and creative events in the sport. These disciplines require athletes to perform complex aerial tricks, spins, flips, and rail sequences, often risking severe injury for the sake of progression.
The Rise: Early Competitions and Career Development
Oldham’s rise through the competitive ranks was swift. She began appearing on the international scene through FIS World Cup circuits, quickly earning respect for her technical skill and consistency. Her first major breakthrough came in the 2018–2019 season, where she won the Slopestyle Crystal Globe, an award for the top‑ranked skier in that discipline for the season, in her rookie World Cup year.
Over the next several years, Oldham amassed an impressive number of World Cup podium finishes — including multiple victories in both slopestyle and big air venues across Europe and North America. These results established her not just as a contender but as a consistent threat in every event she entered.
Notably, Oldham also thrived in the X Games, one of freestyle skiing’s most prestigious and globally watched competitions. By 2025, she had collected multiple medals — including three golds — across slopestyle and big air events, and etched her name into history by becoming the first woman to land a triple cork in competition — an achievement that marked a milestone in the evolution of women’s skiing and pushed the sport’s technical boundaries.
Her X Games success was more than just a personal milestone. It represented a shift in the global perception of women in freestyle skiing, showcasing that female skiers were not only capable of high‑risk maneuvers previously seen primarily in the men’s field but were setting new standards entirely.
World Championships: Continued Excellence in 2025
The 2025 FIS World Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, represented a pivotal period in Oldham’s career. Entering as one of the most decorated Canadian skiers, she secured a bronze medal in women’s slopestyle, adding another podium finish to her extensive résumé.
What made this achievement particularly noteworthy was the context: Oldham was competing against rivals such as Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud — a dominant force who had defended her world title — and a deep field of international talent. Oldham’s bronze finish, a score earned through a highly technical and creatively rich slopestyle run, demonstrated not only her consistency but also her growth as an athlete capable of fending off top competitors year after year.
Throughout the 2024–2025 competitive season, Oldham also maintained prominence on the World Cup circuit. She continued to podium in events like Aspen and Laax, showing remarkable consistency in big air and slopestyle categories alike.
By the end of 2025, Megan Oldham had become a cornerstone of Canadian freestyle skiing — a veteran competitor with an enviable combination of technical prowess, competitive experience, and creative vision. But the stage was set for something even bigger in February 2026.
The 2026 Winter Olympics: A Defining Moment
The pinnacle of Megan Oldham’s career — to date — came at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games held jointly in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. For many athletes, just qualifying to represent their country at the Olympics is the realization of a lifelong dream. For Oldham, this was the beginning of a career‑defining fortnight that would cement her legacy in the sport.
Bronze in Women’s Slopestyle
Oldham’s Olympic campaign began with the women’s slopestyle event, held at the Livigno Snow Park in early February. Against a field packed with elite competitors — including world champions and legendary performers — Oldham delivered a technically rewarding performance that earned her the bronze medal.
After crashing on her second run, she showed remarkable composure and mental fortitude by regrouping and delivering a strong third run that secured her place on the podium. The final standings reflected her achievement: Mathilde Gremaud took gold, Eileen Gu silver, and Oldham bronze — a historic Olympic medal for Canada.
This bronze was more than a personal triumph; it was Canada’s first Olympic medal in women’s ski slopestyle since the event’s Olympic debut. It represented Oldham’s progression from a highly respected competitor to a celebrated Olympic medalist — a transformation that only the world’s greatest athletes experience.
Gold in Women’s Big Air
Merely a week after her slopestyle success, Oldham reached the summit of her sport. In the women’s big air final on February 16, 2026, she delivered arguably the most dominant performance of the entire Games.
The big air competition was a display of aerial precision, technical difficulty, and strategic execution. Oldham led the qualifiers and carried that momentum through the final. Her first two jumps — including multiple double cork 1260 tricks — earned exceptionally high scores, creating a lead that proved insurmountable.
When the dust settled, Oldham stood at the top of the podium with a combined score of 180.75 points, narrowly edging out China’s Eileen Gu (179.00). Italy’s Flora Tabanelli rounded out the podium with bronze.
For Oldham, this gold was historic on several levels:
- It was her first Olympic gold medal.
- It marked Canada’s second gold of the 2026 Games and showcased the country’s strength in freestyle skiing.
- It represented a dramatic and triumphant comeback after a concussion that had sidelined her for weeks earlier in the season.
More than a medal, Oldham’s big air win was an embodiment of her perseverance, technical mastery, and competitive courage. At just 24 years old, she had reached the summit of her sport on the biggest stage possible.
Style, Innovation, and Competitive Philosophy
Megan Oldham’s success isn’t accidental; it’s rooted in a competitive philosophy that values creativity, progression, and calculated risk. Throughout her career, she has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in women’s freestyle skiing.
Her signature tricks — including back‑to‑back double corks and high‑amplitude rail sequences — reflect a gymnast’s precision meeting a skier’s fearlessness. Observers often note her discipline in training, her attention to technical refinement, and her ability to perform under pressure — qualities developed through years of competition on the World Cup and X Games circuits.
Oldham’s presence has also helped elevate the visibility and global interest in women’s freestyle skiing. Her performances, both in the X Games and major international tours, have been broadcast internationally, inspiring a new generation of athletes — particularly young women — to pursue the sport.
Impact on Canadian Sport and Freestyle Skiing
Megan Oldham stands among Canada’s most accomplished winter athletes. Her Olympic medals — bronze in slopestyle and gold in big air — anchor her status as one of the nation’s most decorated freestyle skiers.
But her influence expands beyond medal counts. Oldham has played a significant role in:
- Raising the technical standard for women’s freeskiing
- Bringing international attention to Canadian freestyle skiing programs
- Inspiring future generations of young skiers through her bold style and competitive fearlessness
Her career progression also highlights how athletes can evolve over time — learning from defeats, rebuilding after injuries, and setting new goals that drive their sport forward.
Looking Ahead
As of early 2026, Megan Oldham’s career is at an apex, but it would be a mistake to regard this as the conclusion of her story. At just 24 years old, she remains in her athletic prime, and the future holds numerous possibilities:
- Continued competition at World Championships and World Cup circuits
- Further Olympic appearances – potentially in 2030 and beyond
- Expansion into mentorship, coaching, or advocacy roles within the skiing community
- Continued innovation in freestyle skiing techniques and competition strategies
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