Federica Brignone has done it again, etching her name deeper into Olympic legend by winning gold in the women’s giant slalom on Sunday, delivering Italy’s second alpine triumph of these Games on the iconic Tofane slopes.
The 35-year-old “Snow Tiger” finished with a commanding combined time of 2:13.50 across two electrifying runs, securing her second gold medal in just days—following her super-G victory earlier in the week. Brignone’s margin of victory was over six-tenths of a second, as Sweden’s Sara Hector and Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund tied for silver at 2:14.12, resulting in no bronze awarded.
The home crowd erupted in pure emotion as Brignone crossed the line, capping one of the most remarkable comeback stories in recent Olympic history. Less than 10 months ago, she suffered a career-threatening injury—a shattered tibia, fibula fractures, and severe knee damage—during the 2025 Italian Championships. Doctors predicted a long, uncertain road back, yet Brignone returned to competition just weeks before the Olympics and has since dominated, turning doubt into dominance.
After setting the fastest first-run time of 1:03.23—0.34 seconds ahead of Germany’s Lena Dürr and building on her super-G momentum—Brignone attacked the second run with precision and power, holding off all challengers on the demanding Olympia delle Tofane course.
This double-gold haul marks Brignone’s first Olympic titles ever, adding to her previous medals: two silvers (giant slalom and combined) from Beijing 2022 and a giant slalom bronze from PyeongChang 2018. For the host nation, it’s a moment of national pride and passion beyond limits, as Cortina once again lights up with Italian excellence.
Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States, chasing her first individual Olympic medal since 2018, finished 11th after a solid but unspectacular performance, extending her wait for hardware in these Games.
Brignone’s journey—from devastating injury to double Olympic champion on home snow—stands as pure greatness and inspiration. The mountains have spoken, and Italy celebrates its unbreakable star. ✨🇮🇹
