Loic Meillard, representing Switzerland, displayed a remarkable performance in the men’s slalom event at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. He secured victory with a strong second run, outshining other competitors on a day that unfortunately saw Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen stumble in the first run, ending his chances of earning another Olympic gold.
The men’s Alpine program at the Milan Cortina Games concluded with this event. Meillard’s gold medal in the slalom adds to his previous achievements of a silver in the team combined event and a bronze in the giant slalom.
Meillard clocked a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 53.61 seconds, narrowly defeating Fabio Gstrein from Austria by 0.35 seconds, with Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway securing the bronze. The challenging conditions, with snow and fog in the morning followed by sunny weather in the afternoon, added an extra layer of difficulty to the competition.
Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath, who led after the first run, faced disappointment as he straddled a gate and had to retire from the race. McGrath, who had been racing with a heavy heart due to his grandfather’s recent passing, paid tribute by wearing an armband in his memory.
Pinheiro Braathen, who made history by winning the giant slalom earlier, couldn’t replicate his success as he slipped during the fast first run. Representing Brazil, his mother’s home country, he originally competed for Norway.
In the overall men’s Alpine skiing medal tally at Bormio, Switzerland led with eight medals (four gold, two silver, and two bronze), followed by Austria and Italy with two silver medals each, and Brazil, the U.S., and Norway with one medal each.
The competition, featuring 96 racers, presented challenging conditions with heavy snow, leading to a high number of racers not finishing the course. The event included participants from non-traditional skiing nations, with several notable individuals like AJ Ginnis of Greece, who described his final run as a ceremonial farewell due to an ankle injury.
Various skiers from diverse backgrounds, including Henri Rivers IV from Jamaica, Faiz Basha from Singapore, and Lasse Gaxiola from Mexico, participated in the event, showcasing the global reach and inclusivity of the Winter Olympics.
