Slovenia's Domen Prevc captures ski jumping gold on large hill at Milan Cortina Games

PREDAZZO, Italy (AP) — Trailing going into the final ski jump on the men's large hill, Domen Prevc didn't sweat the pressure as he tried to tap into his inner child that learned to love soaring through the air.

“I was just here to play and enjoy it, have fun,” he said. "I was like, ‘Do your thing, do your best, enjoy the jump and feel the air.’”

The Slovenian knew he'd had a perfect takeoff and enjoyed the flight before landing a hill record of 141.5 meters (464 feet) to capture his second gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics and make more history for his famous ski jumping family.

Japan’s Ren Nikaido won silver, his third medal of the games, and Kacper Tomasiak of Poland won bronze, his second medal on a rainy, cold night.

All three are first-time Olympians, but Prevc has a pedigree.

He became the fourth Prevc sibling to win an Olympic medal when he took gold in the mixed team event Tuesday with his sister, Nika. The two became the first brother and sister to win a ski jumping medal in the same Olympics.

His win Saturday, though, was the first individual Olympic gold for the family.

Prevc entered as the clear favorite. He is the defending world champion on the large hill, has dominated the event this season and holds the distance record.

But he was trailing Nikaido going into the final round. Norway’s Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal was in third.

Prevc needed a big jump to overcome a 7-point deficit and came through.

Nikaido, who won two bronzes — on the men's normal hill and in mixed team — jumped last and came up 5 meters (about 16 1/2 feet) short of Prevc's mark.

“I’m mad at myself and I’m very disappointed that I couldn’t win the gold medal,” Nikaido said.

Tomasiak, who is in his rookie year on the World Cup circuit and stunned with a silver on the normal hill, knocked Sundal off the podium with his second jump.

“I managed to jump good when it was most important,” Tomasiak said.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Domen Prevc, of Slovenia, celebrates after his final round jump during the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Ren Nikaido, of Japan, soars through the air during his first round jump of the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Italian Army soldiers on the steps of the ramp watch Domen Prevc, of Slovenia, soaring through the air during his first round jump of the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Kacper Tomasiak, of Poland, soars through the air during the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ren Nikaido, of Japan, reacts after landing his first round jump during the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Domen Prevc, of Slovenia, reacts after his final round jump of the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Silver medalist Ren Nikaido, of Japan, gold medalist Domen Prevc, of Slovenia, and bronze medalist Kacper Tomasiak, of Poland, pose on the podium at the end of the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Italian Army soldiers on the steps of the ramp watch Domen Prevc, of Slovenia, soaring through the air during his first round jump of the ski jumping men's large hill individual at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 22 points, Kon Knueppel added 20 and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Indiana Pacers 129-108 on Friday night for their eighth victory in 10 games.

Miles Bridges scored 19 points and LaMelo Ball had 18 points and nine assists to help the Hornets improve to 42-26. Charlotte was 24 of 49 from 3-point range.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 30 points. The Pacers (18-59) had won two in a row.

The Hornets entered the night in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings — 1 1/2 games behind Philadelphia and Toronto.

They left no doubt about this one.

Behind a flurry of early 3-pointers — including three in the first quarter from reserve Sion James — the Hornets raced to a 31-11 lead. Charlotte shot 14 of 27 from 3-point range in the first half to take a 69-50 lead.

Knueppel, who set the franchise record for 3s in a season Thursday night against Phoenix, finished 3 of 7 from beyond the arc and also showed versatility in his game with a coast-to-coast layup.

Ball had five 3s while Miller and James finished with four each. James had 13 points, two shy of his career high.

Quenton Jackson added 16 points for Indiana.

Pacers: At Cleveland on Sunday night.

Hornets: At Minnesota on Sunday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball reacts after making a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White, right, drives into Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) moves the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) battles Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, right, for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)