Ben Tudhope’s day at the snowboard cross ended in triumph, but nearly began with disaster.

The four-time Paralympian won the silver medal in the SB-LL2, charging to second place behind Italy’s Emanual Perathoner in a thrilling Big Final at Cortina Para Snowboard Park on Sunday.

However, he revealed after the race, his campaign came perilously close to being upended by a shoulder injury sustained as he catapulted from the gate in his first race of the day.

“It was really hard, my shoulder actually popped out in that first heat pulling out of the start gate,” Tudhope said.

“It was just kind of a click. I don’t really know what happened. It was just a click out and in and then ‘boom’.

“The medical team up top (of the course) handled me so well. We decided I can keep on going after that injury.

“It doesn’t hurt, but to actually go through that, to go through the process of going, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got this injury’, but then being able to go through the rounds and get this medal is insane.”

The medal was Australia’s first of the Milano Cortina campaign and Tudhope’s second Paralympic medal in a career that has earned the Australian snowboard star great respect and friendship from his peers domestically and around the world.

Tudhope rode smoothly and efficiently to win both his quarter final and semi final.

“I thought I could tail and draft the Italian guy who ended up winning, but I made a mistake in turn four into five. I let him slip, he got ahead and, on this course, if you make one mistake, you’re pretty much out of it,” Tudhope said of the big final.

“To be able to get it done and keep Australian Paralympic Winter sport’s legacy going – I think we’ve medalled at every single Games since ’92 – I’m proud to be an Aussie.”

Tudhope started his Paralympic career as a 14-year-old at the Sochi 2014 Games, where he was the youngest athlete from any country. His bronze medal in snowboard cross at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics was Australia’s only medal of the Games. The following year, he won gold at the world xhampionships in Spain.