Federica Brignone (ITA/Rossignol) delivered a stirring performance on home snow, capturing Super-G gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics just ten months after suffering a double leg fracture.
Her triumph marked Italy’s first alpine skiing gold of the Games. France’s Romane Miradoli (Dynastar) claimed silver, while Austria’s Cornelia Huetter (Head) secured bronze.
A comeback worthy of legend
Brignone’s return from a severe injury shortly before a home Olympics already seemed remarkable. Turning that recovery into an Olympic title elevated it into one of the defining stories of Milano Cortina 2026.
Only weeks ago, Brignone had questioned whether her leg would allow her to compete at the highest level, saying her Olympic participation would depend on her condition and race readiness. On race day, she answered those doubts emphatically.
Approaching her gold-medal run, Brignone focused solely on skiing with conviction attacking each turn cleanly, maintaining fluidity, and trusting her technique. The result was a commanding performance that put her 0.76 seconds ahead of the field.
Winning Olympic gold is the summit of the sport under any circumstances. Achieving it after months of rehabilitation and in front of a home crowd gave the moment a near-mythic quality. Brignone later described the victory as surreal, acknowledging she would likely appreciate it fully only after celebrating with her team.
“I was an underdog. I was an outsider, but I know what I can do with my skis,” she said.
How the Super-G unfolded
Malorie Blanc (SUI/Atomic), wearing bib one after her breakthrough World Cup win in Crans Montana, opened the race. Italy’s Laura Pirovano set an early benchmark of 1:24.17 before several contenders faltered in difficult, cloud-affected conditions.
Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER/Rossignol) and Mirjam Puchner (AUT/Atomic) did not finish. Corinne Suter (SUI/Head), the Beijing 2022 downhill champion, crossed the line but trailed Pirovano by 0.63 seconds.
Brignone, racing sixth, electrified the crowd with a fearless, technically precise descent despite lingering injury concerns. Her time immediately reshaped the leaderboard.
Emma Aicher (GER/Head), arriving in strong form, also failed to finish, as did Ester Ledecka (CZE/Kaestle). Italy’s Sofia Goggia showed impressive speed mid-course but skied out after minor errors ended her medal bid.
Huetter produced a composed, largely mistake-free run to move into second at that stage. Austria briefly placed two skiers in podium contention before Miradoli surged into silver, solidifying what became a Brignone–Miradoli–Huetter podium.
Several others, including Americans Breezy Johnson and Mary Bocock, were unable to complete the course.
Miradoli’s perseverance rewarded
For Romane Miradoli, silver capped a personal journey marked by doubt and resilience. She revealed that as recently as last season she had questioned whether to continue competing, but renewed belief and adjustments to her preparation proved decisive.
Her message to others facing adversity: remain steadfast and trust the process. “Never give up. Believe in yourself. It can be hard, but in the end, it can be beautiful,” she said, describing her Olympic podium as dreamlike.
Huetter seizes her moment
Cornelia Huetter entered the race aware that this might represent her final Olympic Super-G opportunity. Battling a technically demanding course filled with rollers and blind gates, she committed fully from the start.
Amid multiple DNFs and shifting visibility, the Austrian held her nerve to secure her first Olympic medal. She admitted she was still processing the achievement afterward, describing the run as an all-out fight.
What’s next
With more than half of the alpine programme complete, athletes now pause briefly before competition resumes. Giant Slalom takes center stage this weekend, followed by the men’s and women’s Slalom events.
For now, however, the spotlight belongs to Brignone an Olympic champion on home snow, completing one of the most remarkable comebacks of these Games.
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