Nick Goepper updated about his health from the hospital bed after suffering a crash in the Olympic halfpipe event on the Cortina course on Feb. 20, 2026. It was the Americans’ first time competing in the aforementioned discipline in the Games, as he was bidding to become the first American to win individual medals at four different Winter Olympics.
Nick Goepper Shares Health Updates After Crashing Out of His Olympic Medal Chance
Goepper was onto a record feat, qualifying second after scoring 90.00. That result set him up as a medal prospect as he headed to the final stage on Feb. 20, 2026. The 31-year-old attempted a near-completed trick on his final run, hit the top of the pipe, and fell, sitting still for a while until the medical team arrived to attend to him.
In the final standings, Goepper placed fourth with 89.00 behind Canadian Brendan Mackay, who earned the bronze with 91.00.
His American teammate Alex Ferreira waved the national flag with the gold medal around his neck after scoring 93.75. While it was a moment of celebration for the U.S., Goepper remained in the hospital for examination and recently shared a picture of himself in bed with a radiant smile, giving a thumbs-up. He wrote:
“I am OK. Massive shin bang and a tweaked knee, but otherwise all good. It’s been a long night in the hospital getting things checked out. Thanks for all the love. Will check back in soon.”
The 31-year-old competed in slopestyle in the previous three Games. He won bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018 and 2022, but Milan-Cortina was the first time in halfpipe, having transitioned to the discipline in recent years.
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Goepper was not born in a mountainous region, but he believes being an Indiana native gave him an advantage over fellow skiers who had ski chalets and snowy courses to practice on. The small hill in his familiar region remained illuminated day and night, allowing him to ski on weeknights and even extended hours on the weekends.
The Olympic medalist reflected on his upbringing and expressed his love for the modest hill course, and said:
“It was the best place I ever could have grown up to learn how to ski. The repetitions that I was able to accumulate at this small hill in Indiana as a teenager were far, far more than a lot of my friends who may have grown up in more mountainous places.”
Goepper has amassed five gold medals and two runner-up finishes at the X Games, along with three World Championship medals. He also enjoys a celebrated personal life, having announced his engagement to Corinn Childs ahead of the Games.
