Austrian Benjamin Karl, who won Olympic snowboarding gold at age 40, then became a global sensation for his shirtless celebration, is reversing his decision to retire after the 2026 Olympic season.
Karl, who races parallel giant slalom, plans to compete in the 2026-27 season, highlighted by a home World Championships in Montafon in March.
“It has been a long and difficult journey from competing in regional races all the way to the very top of the sport,” Karl said, according to a social media post. “I have been snowboarding for 30 years, and over time, many things started to feel almost like a given. But my recent experiences have shown me that nothing should ever be taken for granted.
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“I have learned to appreciate again just how much support I have received over all these years — support that is anything but a given. Now I am really looking forward to continuing my career.”
At the Milan Cortina Games, Karl broke the record for oldest individual Winter Olympic gold medalist. Later in the Games, 41-year-old American Elana Meyers Taylor broke Karl’s record with monobob gold.
Karl considered a switch to cycling after the Games.
“However, a number of things happened over the summer that I simply could not have foreseen,” Karl said in the post. “At the same time, I increasingly came to realize that, quite simply, I am a snowboarder who loves riding his bike.”
Karl previously won Olympic medals in 2010 (silver), 2014 (bronze in parallel slalom) and 2022 (gold). He is a five-time world champion between parallel slalom (no longer on the Olympic program) and parellel giant slalom, the most recent title in 2021.
40 YEARS OLD. BACK-TO-BACK GOLD.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 8, 2026
ABSOLUTE #WinterOlympics CINEMA. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/UC2TE01J2h
