LIVIGNO, Italy — American freestyle skier Elizabeth Lemley won a surprise gold medal in moguls with two neat and quick runs at the Winter Games on Wednesday.

Her victory put an end to 2022 champion Jakara Anthony’s bid to become the first Australian to successfully defend a title at a Winter Games.

Anthony, who has dominated the discipline for the last four years, led from silver medalist American Jaelin Kauf after the first run but wobbled out of line on her second to finish eighth and last.

Kauf, who also finished second in Beijing four years ago, won her second silver with a score of 80.77, and Pyeongchang 2018 champion France’s Perrine Laffont clinched bronze with 78 points.

In her first run of the finals, under a bright and sunny afternoon sky in the narrow valley of Livigno, Lemley was in firm control of her skis, always pinned one to the other, and landed well after two big jumps.

In the second run — also known as the superfinal — the skier pushed on the speed, keeping her skis tight together and showing off great technique around the moguls and with a big grab on the bottom jump.

“I was trying to focus on trusting myself. I’ve been working on that this whole season … and right when I pushed out of the gate, I said to myself, ‘Let’s go!'” Lemley told a press conference after the medal ceremony.

Like other athletes at the Winter Games, Lemley’s medal fell apart as she was celebrating on the top of the podium just after she received it from Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman, who would have been hoping for a different outcome.

Anthony had a first fast, clean run for the finals, with smooth turns and a big grab on the bottom jump, but in the second she lost control in the middle section of the moguls, leaving her fall line, the straightest path down the hill.

Her 83.96 score on the first run would have been enough for gold had she reproduced it in the second, but only the final score counts and Lemley’s 82.30 secured the American her first global title.

Kauf, who got through to the final only hours before in the second qualifying round, delivered a fast first run down the hill, with tidy skiing through the moguls and strong jumps.

In the superfinal she was strong and quick, with a big top jump, crushing through the moguls and performing a grab in the bottom air.

“I definitely didn’t take the easy route into the finals… but I think everything happens for a reason,” Kauf said.

Despite scraping through to the second final round with a stylish technique but not so clean jumps, Laffont set a very high bar in the second run, showing off great precision and performing two big jumps with grabs.

Japan’s Hinako Tomitaka also scored 78 but Laffont took the bronze as she was awarded a better score — 42.6 to 42 — for her turns in the final run.

Asked what went through her mind when she saw her score was the same as Tomitaka’s, Laffont said: “Today was a real roller coaster. It is pretty hard to remember what I was thinking.”

Anthony was disappointed but was already looking ahead.

“I’m pretty bummed, to be honest,” Anthony said. “I definitely had what it took, but it is just not my day today sadly. Maybe in another four years’ time.”

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media

At the start of this past season, the Seattle Seahawks were +6000 to win the Super Bowl. Their odds were so long in August that even the Arizona Cardinals were shorter favorites.

Seattle managed to turn things around quickly. 

But which long-shot teams could have their moment in the sun this upcoming year?

Pittsburgh Steelers (+6000)

I’ve gone on record saying the Mike Tomlin era had run its course. He still looks like a Hall of Fame coach (and if Bill Belichick isn’t one, then who is?), but sometimes both sides need a clean slate.

The AFC North had a bit of a down year, yet Pittsburgh is once again the reigning division champion.

The defense is beginning to age, but it can still be good enough — provided the offense isn’t an automatic three-and-out machine.

If the Steelers move on from Rodgers and hit on a quarterback in free agency, they could be legitimate surprise contenders. For a long shot, this feels like a team that could offer a very positive cashout opportunity by midseason.

Washington Commanders (+6000)

Does anyone remember that Washington was one game away from the Super Bowl in 2025?

The Commanders didn’t get much grace for the injury bug that plagued them last season. That could resurface — they still have one of the oldest rosters in the league — but I’m willing to bet on a Jayden Daniels resurgence.

Daniels is only one year removed from one of the best rookie seasons we’ve ever seen. Washington also has a much easier schedule this year, and adding someone like Caleb Downs in the first round could help patch up defensive issues.

If Daniels and Terry McLaurin stay healthy for a full season, I’ll keep the faith in Washington as a long shot.

Indianapolis Colts (+6000)

Halfway through last season, the Colts were 7-1 and eyeing a first-round bye. A few weeks later, Daniel Jones’ Achilles tear flipped the season upside down.

I’d like to believe the version of Indianapolis we saw in the first half wasn’t a fugazi.

Mostly, I believe in Shane Steichen as a head coach. I’m not sure if Jones will be ready immediately, so they may need to explore quarterback options in free agency — or give Anthony Richardson one last shot.

I’ll admit it: I have a slightly delusional belief in Richardson. He hasn’t shown much that would convince a rational observer he’s a long-term NFL starter, but the arm talent and athleticism are too freakish to completely give up on.

This is my least favorite of the three teams, but the Colts defense alone could be good enough to make some noise.

New York Mets All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor will have surgery Wednesday for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday that Lindor had been feeling soreness in his left hand and wrist area over the previous couple of days and would be seeing a specialist on Wednesday.

Stearns said Tuesday that if surgery was warranted, the recovery time was estimated at six weeks and that it was not expected to delay Lindor’s availability for the regular season. The Mets open the season at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26.

“If we get to the point where we get closer to Opening Day and there are questions about Francisco, then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Stearns said. “But, at this point, we’re optimistic that regardless of what Francisco needs, he’s going to be ready for Opening Day.”

Lindor, 32, has experienced soreness in the same area at times for a couple of years, Stearns said.

“He’s usually able to grind through it, and he’s done it,” Stearns said. “I don’t know when he first felt it, but I think it just persisted to the point where he felt like he should say something about it. Once we examined it a little bit more yesterday, our medical staff determined that he should see a specialist.”

Lindor has not been on the injured list since 2021 and has played in at least 152 games in the four seasons since, missing several games late in 2024 but staying off the injured list.

While Lindor is out, the Mets will have Christian Arroyo, Vidal Brujan, Jackson Cluff and Ronny Mauricio as options to play at shortstop. Bo Bichette signed a three-year deal with the Mets this offseason with the intention of switching from shortstop to third base, but he also could see time as Lindor’s replacement in spring training.

Lindor was selected to the All-Star Game for the fifth time in his career last season and first as a Met in 2025. He batted .267 with 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .346 on-base percentage, a .466 slugging percentage, a National League-leading 644 at-bats and major league-topping 732 plate appearances in 160 games.

He has a career batting average of .273 with 279 homers and 856 RBIs in 1,535 regular-season games with Cleveland (2015-20) and New York (2021-present). He was an All-Star in 2016-19 with Cleveland.

Lindor also is batting .263 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 41 playoff games.

–Field Level Media