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Graham’s in the flow and finding his sweet spot

Hailing from the Central Coast, Matt Graham should have been a surfer, but the lure of snow and the thrill of skiing, drew him to moguls. A veteran of the sport having competed at three Olympic Games, Graham has his sights set on wearing the green and gold at his fourth Games in Milano Cortina in 2026.

“I am gearing up for the Olympics,” the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Scholarship holder and Olympic silver medallist said as he prepares to ease his way to compete in the northern hemisphere competition, hoping it’s a different journey to 2022.

“I injured myself eight weeks prior to the last Olympics, which put me on sideline for the whole preparation leading into Beijing.”

A crash in training at the Idre Fjall World Cup in December 2021 threatened to rule him out of Beijing 2022. At the event Graham finished qualifying fourth, but an accident before the final left him with a broken collarbone and needing surgery.

One plate, 13 screws, a flight home to Australia and four weeks later, he returned to training just 22 days before the competition began in Beijing.

Graham, who became Australia’s 11th Winter Olympic medallist, and second mogul skiing medallist, when he won silver at his second Olympic Games at PyeongChang 2018, credits his mental resilience as key to his recovery.

“The sport psychology and mental preparation were really important during that period – the rest of the world were competing while I was sitting on the couch in Gosford, not doing much, letting my shoulder heal.

“That is where you have to get creative, so that when I did get back to snow just prior to the Olympics, I was able to put on my boots and get going straight away.”

In total, Graham has endured four collarbone reconstructions, the most recent being just last year (2023). In March 23, Graham went in for reconstruction surgery, but needed further surgery because his collarbone had not healed properly.

“It was extremely frustrating that I had to go back to the drawing board, but it is what it is,” he said. “Four operations and hopefully I am done and dusted now.”

Graham is one part of a very successful Australian moguls team, which includes reigning Olympic champion Jakara Anthony. He credits the support he received from grassroots right through to high performance at the NSWIS, where he has been a scholarship holder since 2006, as key to this success.

“We have so much support from grassroots at Perisher and Mt Buller, which feeds into the NSWIS program,” said Graham, who recently chalked up the impressive milestone of 100 world cup starts.

“Coaching support is top of the list – there is a big banner – strength and conditioning, nutrition, AW&E and sport psychology. It all comes together when you see the athlete at the top of the hill.

The moguls team also has access to the new National Snowsports Training Centre in Jindabyne as well as the water jump in Brisbane.

“The NSTC is making a huge difference for some of the emerging athlete programs. It will help out all winter sports as a whole,” he said.

Graham will be searching for his sweet spot when he takes to the top of the mountain this northern hemisphere.

“Everything we do in a normal training day prepares us for competition,” said Graham. “The sport psychology also prepares you. As I have matured, that comes more naturally now. You get in a routine, there aren’t too many curve balls, you just have to perform.