Anna Odine Stroem from Norway clinched the gold medal in the women’s normal hill ski jumping event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, putting in a remarkable performance that secured her top honors on Saturday. Stroem’s final jump reached 101 meters (331 feet), culminating in a score of 267.3 points, narrowly surpassing Slovenia’s Nika Prevc, who was heavily favored to win. Prevc, with a long-standing dominance in the sport this season, took silver with a score just 1.1 points behind Stroem. Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama captured the bronze medal in a thrilling competition filled with high stakes.
Entering the final jump, Prevc trailed Stroem by a single point, while Maruyama was just two-tenths of a point behind Prevc, emphasizing the competitive nature of the event. Stroem, despite coming into the contest in fourth place in the World Cup standings, outperformed expectations to claim the gold.
Nika Prevc marked a significant milestone of her own, becoming the first sister among two brothers—both accomplished ski jumpers—to win Olympic medals. Her brothers, Peter and Cene Prevc, have also made their marks in the sport, with Peter a four-time medalist and a gold winner in the mixed team jump at the last Olympics in Beijing, and Cene contributing a team silver at the same games.
Looking ahead, the Prevc family could add to their Olympic legacy when brother Domen competes in the men’s normal hill event. If he earns a medal, it would be a historic moment as it would be the first instance of a brother and sister winning medals in ski jumping at the same Olympic Games. There is also the potential for them to compete together in the upcoming mixed team event.
For the American contingent, Annika Belshaw and Paige Jones finished in 21st and 23rd places, respectively, marking a challenging outing for the team.
This flourishing of talent in ski jumping, especially from the Prevc family, showcases the excitement and unpredictability of Olympic sports, reminding fans of the rich history and thrilling moments that the games continue to provide.