Nick Goepper revealed why he risked his fourth chance at a medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, ultimately crashing and falling out of podium contention. He has never won an Olympic gold medal and missed his opportunity this year, but remains hopeful about making a return soon.
Goepper’s approach drew admiration from fellow freestyle skier Eileen Gu, who became the most decorated in history with her sixth medal win on Feb. 22, 2026. She was the only female skier to enter all three disciplines.
Nick Goepper Reveals Why He Took the Risk of Attempting a Never-Done-Before Trick
Goepper was competing in the halfpipe event for the first time, having previously focused on slopestyle, which earned him two silver medals and a bronze. He scored 29.25 in the first run and posted his best in the next, putting himself up as a medal prospect with 89.00.
In Run 3, he hit the top of the pipe and succumbed to a crash, immediately receiving medical attention, and later announced that he suffered a shin bruise and a knee sprain.
The 31-year-old missed the podium by just one place, finishing fourth, while his teammate Alex Ferreira won the gold medal. In an Instagram post after his tough fate, he said he had two options: one, the path to gold, and another, to play safe. Since he had a ‘brand new trick’ under his belt, he remembered the wise words of his father and gave it a shot.
“My dad would always tell me, ‘You never want to say ‘I wish I would have’. I knew that I could have played it safe, cleaned up my stock run, and medaled my 4th Olympics in a row
“My dad would always tell me, ‘You never want to say ‘I wish I would have’. I knew that I could have played it safe, cleaned up my stock run, and medaled my 4th Olympics in a row. But I also knew that I had a brand new trick. A trick no one else in the world has done in a halfpipe, and I’ve landed a total of 6 of them.”
He later reflected on the crash and admitted he felt disappointed after falling short, but promised to pick himself up and move forward. He also expressed his desire to compete at another Olympics in 2030.
Gu, who not only earned three medals at these Games but also expressed her desire to inspire more young girls in China, hailed Goepper for his legendary move, saying:
“Big big inspo Nick. It was the right decision.”
READ MORE: Nick Goepper Shares an Update on Injury Status After Terrifying 22-Foot Olympic Halfpipe Crash
Goepper won silver medals in slopestyle in 2018 and 2022, and a bronze in 2014. After his first Olympic appearance, the American skier fell into depression, drinking, and legal troubles. In an interview before the Cortina campaign, the three-time World medalist shared that the importance of connecting with people had helped him stay motivated within his own little bubble.
The skier made waves at the X Games as well, earning five gold medals and two silver podiums. He and his mother were featured in the How to Raise an Olympian series on NBC in 2014.