Team USA snowboarder Nick Baumgartner fell short of making the snowboard cross finals on Thursday, but that didn’t stop him from offering an inspiring message.
Competing in his fifth Olympics, the 44-year-old ageless wonder finished .08 seconds short of a trip to the finals at the Milan Cortina Games, which would have offered him the chance to medal. He instead finished out the event in the consolation “small final,” recording a seventh place finish while Austria’s Alessandro Haemmerle claimed the gold.
“I’ve never had so much fun losing in my life,” Baumgartner said after the competition.
He added, “It’s just wild. I think it goes the show the kind of work I’ve put in to stay here. It takes every bit of me and every bit of effort I have to be able to compete with these kids, you see how fast they are. I love this so much. If you find something you love, it doesn’t matter how much work you got to put in, you’re happy to do it. I’ll continue to do it because I love what I do.”
"I never had so much fun losing in my life!"
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2026
44-year-old snowboarder Nick Baumgartner isn't calling it quits anytime soon after his fifth #WinterOlympics for Team USA. 👏 pic.twitter.com/3qDRp7PMyO
Baumgartner previously became the oldest medalist in Olympic snowboarding when he and teammate Lindsey Jacobellis won gold in the mixed team snowboard cross event at the 2022 Beijing Games, his first-ever Olympic medal. Though he fell short of a medal this time around and will be 48 by the start of the next Winter Olympics at the 2030 French Alps Games, he has no plans of slowing down.
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“I heard on the broadcast someone said this is my last Olympics. Absolutely not,” Baumgartner said. “I always said as long as I’m having fun and I’m competitive, I’ll continue to do this. Especially if I’m on the U.S. team and I get funding and coaching and all the things. Until I’m not having fun or until the body steps in and says ‘you’re done,’ I’m going to continue to put the work in and I’m going to continue to redefine what people think is possible.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as A 48-Year-Old Snowboarder at the 2030 Olympics? Nick Baumgartner Wants to Make It Happen.
