Italian skier Federica Brignone secured her second gold medal at the Winter Olympics held in her home country by clinching victory in the women’s giant slalom on Sunday. In the ongoing race, Brignone currently leads the competition after the initial run involving the top 30 skiers.
At 35 years old, Brignone, who had previously won the downhill event, maintained a 0.34-second lead after the first run of the giant slalom and delivered an impressive second run under ideal weather conditions in the Dolomite Mountains near Cortina. She finished 0.62 seconds ahead of defending champion Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund, who shared the silver medal.
Following Brignone’s triumphant finish, Hector and Stjernesund showed their respect by bowing down to the champion amidst cheers from the enthusiastic spectators. Meanwhile, U.S. skier Paula Moltzan acknowledged Brignone’s exceptional performance by stating, “Fede just proved that she’s better.”
On the other hand, American skier Mikaela Shiffrin landed in 11th place, extending her medal drought to eight consecutive Olympic races since 2018. Shiffrin remains hopeful for redemption in the upcoming slalom event, displaying composure and gratitude towards the fans after her second run.
Brignone’s remarkable comeback story adds to her accolades, having overcome a severe leg injury that sidelined her for months after being crowned world champion in the giant slalom the previous year. Prior to these Olympics, Brignone had achieved a silver and two bronze medals at the global sporting event.
Valérie Grenier from St-Isidore, Ontario, led the Canadian contingent with a 13th-place finish, followed by Britt Richardson from Canmore, Alberta, and Justin Lamontagne from St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Quebec, placing 26th and 28th, respectively. Unfortunately, Cassidy Gray from Invermere, British Columbia, did not complete the event.
Grenier’s performance marked Canada’s top result in the women’s giant slalom competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
