CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — An unexpected champion emerged in the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday, as American skier Breezy Johnson claimed gold, marking the first medal for Team USA at these Olympics. Johnson becomes only the second U.S. woman to win Olympic downhill gold, following in the illustrious footsteps of her teammate Lindsey Vonn.
To succeed on the challenging course, racers had to embrace risk, and Johnson displayed remarkable daring as she navigated the course from start to finish. Although her run wasn’t flawless, Johnson pushed herself to the limits, in stark contrast to the unfortunate fate of several competitors. Among them was Vonn, whose race came to an abrupt end just 14 seconds in due to a severe crash, leaving her and Andorra’s Cande Moreno requiring airlift off the mountain.
Starting in sixth position, Johnson waited anxiously for nearly the entirety of the race, hoping her time of 1 minute, 36.1 seconds would secure her the win. “I had a good feeling about today. I sort of still can’t believe it yet, so I don’t know when it’ll sink in,” Johnson remarked after her triumph. “I knew I had to push. I had to go harder than I did in training. I had to be super clean, and I felt like I did that.” Despite a few shaky moments, Johnson’s determination ultimately paid off.
In the final standings, Germany’s Emma Aicher took silver, finishing a mere 0.04 seconds behind Johnson, while Italy’s Sofia Goggia earned bronze. American skier Jacqueline Wiles narrowly missed a podium finish, completing the race 0.27 seconds off the medal positions.
In a humorous turn, Johnson showcased her already damaged gold medal at the post-race press conference, revealing that the clip securing it to her neck had broken, turning it into an impromptu “show-and-tell moment.”
The 30-year-old Johnson, a previous world champion in downhill skiing, had previously competed in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games without medaling and missed the 2022 Olympics due to a knee injury. Following a 14-month ban for missing anti-doping requirements, she made a significant comeback, winning the world championship earlier this year.
While Johnson celebrated her success, it was a bittersweet moment for Vonn. Known for her unmatched record in Cortina and her previous Olympic glory as the first U.S. woman to win downhill gold in 2010, Vonn’s race ended with a crash that echoed her tumultuous journey. Wearing bib 13, she lost her balance mid-air after clipping a gate, resulting in a crash that required medical staff and led to a nearly 30-minute halt in the race.
Vonn’s sister, Karin Kildow, expressed support, noting that Vonn’s passion and intensity in the sport never waver, saying, “It’s like the man in the arena, she dared greatly.” Medical staff in Cortina were attending to Vonn, and a full evaluation of her injuries was underway, as she had recently suffered a complete ACL tear during a practice crash in Switzerland.
With Johnson’s inspiring victory and Vonn’s courageous spirit on display, the Olympic spirit shines brightly, reminding us of the resilience of athletes in the face of danger and adversity.