Benjamin Karl of Austria has made history by winning the gold medal in the men's snowboard parallel giant slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics held in Livigno, Italy. At 40 years and 115 days, he has now claimed the title of the oldest athlete to win an individual gold medal in Winter Olympic history, surpassing the previous record held by Norwegian biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjørndalen, who was 40 years and 12 days old when he won in Sochi 2014. Karl achieved his victory by edging out South Korean Kim Sang-gyeom by a narrow margin of just 0.19 seconds, solidifying his position as the defending champion.

This latest triumph marked Karl's fifth consecutive Olympics, beginning with the 2010 Vancouver Games, bringing his total Olympic medal count to four, including two gold, one silver, and one bronze. With this win, he has surpassed the previous record held by American snowboarder Shaun White, who has won three gold medals throughout his Olympic career. The combined age of the two finalists, Karl and Kim, was notably 77 years, showcasing a remarkable age difference compared to younger competitors typically dominating the sport.

The competition also drew attention with the exit of the Italian favorite, Roland Fischnaller, who, at 45 years old, was also in contention for the title but was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Kim Sang-gyeom. Had Fischnaller won, he would have become the oldest medalist instead. Overall, this event highlighted the extraordinary achievements of athletes like Karl, proving that remarkable performances can come from seasoned competitors even in sports traditionally dominated by younger athletes.