Swiss athlete Simon Ammann had the longest jumps in both competition rounds, winning the gold medal.

Gregor Schlierenzauer of Austria moved up from seventh place to win the bronze medal after jumping a full 5 meters (16 ft) longer on his second attempt.

The judge's scores are based on a variety of factors including the timing of the takeoff, the skier's ability to carry out the movements involved in the jump, and their stability in the air.

[4] Norway's Lars Bystøl was the defending Olympic champion on the normal hill, but he retired after the 2007-08 season and therefore did not participate in the 2010 Games.

[8] Although a relative newcomer to the sport, having only started competing in 2005-06, Schlierenzauer entered the competition with thirty-five World Cup victories under his belt.

Other competitors expected to finish strongly included Poland's Adam Małysz and Finland's Janne Ahonen, the latter of whom had come out of retirement in hopes of winning an Olympic medal.

[10] The forty athletes with the highest scores advanced to the medal round on 13 February, joining the ten pre-qualified jumpers.

After Ammann landed the jump, he immediately began pumping his arms in the air, confident that he had secured the gold medal.

[10] Among the jumpers who surpassed him was Adam Małysz, who again took third place in the final round and finished in second overall, winning the silver medal.