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Italian skier Federica Brignone captured her second gold medal in four days at her home Winter Olympics by winning the women’s giant slalom on Sunday, as Mikaela Shiffrin finished off the podium again.
The race isn’t officially over yet, with dozens of lower-tier racers still to take the course. But Brignone is the leader after the fastest 30 skiers from the first run.
The 35-year-old Brignone, who won the downhill on Thursday for her first gold at an Olympics, led by 0.34 seconds after the first run of the giant slalom and put in a polished second run in gorgeous conditions in the Dolomite Mountains above Cortina.
She finished 0.62 seconds ahead of defending champion Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund, who shared the silver medal.
After Brignone crossed the line to loud cheers from the home crowd, Hector and Stjernesund ran into the finish area and bowed down to the champion to a backdrop of chants of “Fede” from fans.
“Fede just proved that she’s better,” U.S. skier Paula Moltzan said.
Shiffrin, the U.S. standout, was in down in 11th place and has now failed to win a medal in eight straight Olympic races since the Winter Games in 2018.
Redemption for Shiffrin could come in her best event — the slalom — on Wednesday and she didn’t show any outward signs of disappointment after her second run, blowing out her cheeks and waving to the fans in the grandstand with both hands.
It completes a stunning comeback for the popular Brignone, who was world champion in the GS in February last year before breaking multiple bones in her left leg in March that required surgery, a handful of screws to repair and left her unable to walk for three months.
Before these home Games, Brignone had a silver and two bronzes at the Olympics.ke the course. But Brignone is the leader after the fastest 30 skiers from the first run.
She finished 0.62 seconds ahead of defending champion Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund, who shared the silver medal.
After Brignone crossed the line to loud cheers from the home crowd, Hector and Stjernesund ran into the finish area and bowed down to the champion to a backdrop of chants of “Fede” from fans.
“Fede just proved that she’s better,” U.S. skier Paula Moltzan said.
Federica Brignone finishes first in the women’s giant slalom for the fifth Olympic medal of her career, the most by an Italian women’s skier.
Shiffrin, the U.S. standout, was in down in 11th place and has now failed to win a medal in eight straight Olympic races since the Winter Games in 2018.
Redemption for Shiffrin could come in her best event — the slalom — on Wednesday and she didn’t show any outward signs of disappointment after her second run, blowing out her cheeks and waving to the fans in the grandstand with both hands.
It completes a stunning comeback for the popular Brignone, who was world champion in the GS in February last year before breaking multiple bones in her left leg in March that required surgery, a handful of screws to repair and left her unable to walk for three months.
Before these home Games, Brignone had a silver and two bronzes at the Olympics.ke the course. But Brignone is the leader after the fastest 30 skiers from the first run.
Valérie Grenier, of St-Isidore, Ont., was the highest-placing Canadian finishing in 13th. She was followed by Britt Richardson (26th), of Canmore, Alta., and Justin Lamontagne (28th), of St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que.
Cassidy Gray, from Invermere, B.C., did not finish the event.
Valérie Grenier of St-Isidore, Ont., places 13th for Canada’s top result in women’s giant slalom at Milano Cortina 2026.
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