Kirsty Muir narrowly misses Olympic medal at Milan-Cortina Games
British freestyle skier Kirsty Muir endured Olympic heartbreak this afternoon, falling agonisingly short of securing Great Britain’s first medal at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, reports BritPanorama.
The Scottish athlete finished fourth in the women’s slopestyle final at Livigno Snow Park, separated from a bronze medal by a mere 0.41 points. Canada’s Megan Oldham claimed third place with a score of 76.46, while Muir’s best effort yielded 76.05.
Following the result, the Aberdeen-born skier was visibly emotional, breaking down in tears despite delivering her strongest performance when it counted the most. Muir’s path to the final standings was far from straightforward; she had touched down on the penultimate jump during her opening run and after a cautious second attempt that earned 63.01 points, she found herself languishing in sixth position.
The defending champion, Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud, retained her Olympic crown with a score of 86.96 points, narrowly edging out the competition. Chinese sensation Eileen Gu, a prominent name in freestyle skiing, secured silver with 86.58 points, as Gremaud celebrated her victory following Gu’s crash on her final attempt.
The 21-year-old Muir showcased resilience, producing her finest skiing under pressure. Speaking to BBC Sport afterward, she said: “I put it out there on every run and the second jump, I wanted to get that, but it just wasn’t working for me today. I was so proud to put one down. I’m struggling to accept how close it was but I know I have more in me.”
This near-miss follows Muir’s recent success just a fortnight ago, when she claimed slopestyle gold at the Aspen X Games with an impressive 93.66 points — a score that would have comfortably topped today’s Olympic podium. Her journey to these Games has been remarkable, having undergone surgery in early 2024 to repair a fully torn ACL and to address a persistent shoulder issue.
Muir returned to competition eleven months later and secured her first World Cup gold in Tignes last March. As the Scottish skier prepares for another opportunity to reach the Olympic podium with the upcoming Big Air event beginning on Saturday, her performance under pressure highlights the unpredictability and excitement inherent to Olympic competition. This continues to remind us how dreams can teeter on the edge, illustrating the fine line between triumph and disappointment in the world of sports.
