Scotty James reveals 'powerful' wish for his young son after fresh Olympic heartbreak

Australian snowboarding superstar Scotty James has shared with his social media followers a "powerful" realisation he hopes his son takes a lesson from, after his pursuit for an elusive Olympic gold medal again fell short.

The halfpipe legend also reiterated that he would return for his sixth Olympic campaign when the French Alps play host in 2030, by which point he will be 35.

"I ain't fuckin' leaving!" James, who won silver in the halfpipe at Milano Cortina last Saturday (AEDT), wrote in an emotion-filled social media post.

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James had to settle for silver at consecutive Olympic Games when he was pipped by Japan's Yuto Totsuka in a spectacular showdown under lights.

James was putting together a run that was threatening to snatch gold when he came unstuck on his final hit.

"After a week of reflection, I've felt all of it. The pride. The gratitude. The disbelief. And yeah… the anger too," James wrote.

"I've replayed it in my head more times than I'd like to admit. One run. A couple of small moments that separate gold from silver at the Olympic Games. It's wild how something so big can come down to something so small.

Watch the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now. Plus, every event live & on demand, every medal in 4K, and exclusive international coverage on Stan Sport.

"For a few days, I asked myself all the questions you probably ask when you fall just short. What if? What could I have done differently? Silver is an incredible achievement. I know that. I'm proud of it. I don't take for granted what it means to stand on an Olympic podium.

"But if I'm honest, when you train for years with one thing in your head, coming that close hurts."

James produced a top score of 93.50. Totsuka went marginally better, chalking up a 95.00.

James is now Australia's most decorated Winter Olympian, having claimed bronze at Pyeongchang 2018, silver at Beijing 2022 and silver at Milano Cortina.

He is iron-willed about capturing gold at the Olympics, just as he's done on so many occasions on the World Cup and X Games scenes.

"After all the overthinking, the frustration, the silent car rides and the dramatic 'I'm never watching that replay again' moments… I realised something," he continued.

"I showed up. I fought. I left absolutely everything out there.

"There's something powerful about knowing you gave your full self to a moment. No holding back. No excuses. Just commitment. And sometimes the result doesn't match the dream exactly, but, the effort still defines you.

"Falling short hurts. But there's humility in it too. Humility in standing in front of the world and saying, 'I wanted more. I believed I could do it. And this time, I didn't.'"

James and his wife, Chloe Stroll, the sister of Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll, welcomed their son, Leo, into the world in October 2024.

"People keep asking me, 'What do you want your son Leo to take from this?'" James added.

"What I hope Leo learns is how to want something deeply and still be okay if it doesn't happen. It's how to chase a dream with everything you have, and when it doesn't go your way, to take ownership and to stay humble. If he learns that strength isn't just standing on top, but standing tall when you're not, then this experience will have given him something far greater. And that, to me, is everything.

"So to anyone who's ever fallen just short, I see you. It's okay to feel the sting. It means you care. It means you dared to want something extraordinary.

"I'm proud. I'm hungry. I'm grateful. And… I ain't fuckin' leaving! See you at the next one.

"Thank you all."

He signed off with the red boxing glove emoji — a nod to the iconic mitts he wears in competition.