CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Italian alpine skier Federica Brignone achieved a monumental career milestone Thursday by capturing her first Olympic gold medal in the women’s super-G event at the 2026 Winter Games. The 35-year-old champion completed a remarkable recovery journey less than a year after sustaining multiple fractures in her left leg that required two surgical procedures and extensive rehabilitation.
Brignone mastered the challenging Trofane course in foggy conditions with limited visibility, posting a winning time of 1:23.41. Her victory establishes her as the oldest female gold medalist in Olympic alpine skiing history and marks her fourth Olympic medal overall, matching Deborah Compagnoni’s record for most medals by an Italian women’s skier.
The technical course proved demanding for several top competitors. France’s Romane Miradoli secured silver while Austria’s Cornelia Huetter took bronze. Notable contenders including downhill specialist Breezy Johnson of the United States, who collided with a gate and ended in the safety fencing, and Italy’s Sofia Goggia, current World Cup super-G leader, failed to complete their runs successfully.
Brignone’s triumph held special significance as she served as one of Italy’s flag bearers during the opening ceremonies. Still experiencing discomfort from her previous injury, she had humorously requested curler Amos Mosaner to carry her on his shoulders during the procession. The victory sparked enthusiastic celebrations among Italian supporters and earned praise from skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, who tweeted congratulations acknowledging Brignone’s extraordinary comeback story.