Brignone Wins Second Gold as Shiffrin Misses Podium
Federica Brignone won giant slalom gold at Milano Cortina on Feb. 15 while Mikaela Shiffrin finished 11th with a combined time of 2:14.42, leaving her final slalom as her last chance.
The GuardianFederica Brignone sparks Italian joy with second gold as Mikaela Shiffrin struggles
New York Daily NewsFederica Brignone wins giant slalom for 2nd gold medal of the Olympics, Mikaela Shiffrin finishes 11th
HuffPostItaly's Brignone Triumphs Again, Shiffrin's Medal Drought Continues At Winter Olympics
USA TODAYMikaela Shiffrin shows Olympic promise, with best event still to come
Overview
Federica Brignone won the women's giant slalom on Feb. 15 at the Milano Cortina Olympics for her second gold medal while Mikaela Shiffrin finished 11th.
Brignone completed a comeback after breaking her left knee in four places and tearing her anterior cruciate ligament, and she underwent surgery and months of rehabilitation before these Games.
Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund tied for silver and bowed to Brignone at the finish, and Shiffrin said on Feb. 7 she still lacked the "drive" for giant slalom after her 2024 crash.
Shiffrin posted a combined time of 2:14.42, finishing 0.92 seconds behind Brignone and 0.30 seconds off the podium, and she has 108 World Cup wins but is 0-for-8 in her most recent Olympic races.
Brignone's gold was her fifth Olympic medal, and Shiffrin's final Olympic race and possible redemption is the slalom on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Shiffrin’s Olympic run as a mounting narrative of struggle and missed opportunity, using evaluative phrasing ('running out of chances', 'stymied', 'stunning disappointment') and emphasis on past crashes and PTSD. Editorial choices prioritize a failure-over-time storyline, while direct quotes and facts provide source content and context.
FAQ
Federica Brignone suffered a broken leg 10 months before the Milano Cortina Games, making her achievements at these Olympics even more remarkable given her recovery period[1]. According to the summary provided, she broke her left knee in four places and tore her anterior cruciate ligament, requiring surgery and months of rehabilitation before competing at these Games.
Brignone became the **first Italian woman skier to win two gold medals at the same Winter Olympics**[1]. She joins Alberto Tomba as the only Italians to achieve this feat—Tomba won gold in slalom and giant slalom at the 1988 Calgary Games[1].
Shiffrin has failed to win a medal in her last eight Olympic races[1]. She left the 2022 Beijing Games without a medal across six races and has not won an Olympic medal since her giant slalom victory at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics[1]. Her final opportunity for an Olympic medal is **Wednesday's slalom race**, her specialist discipline[1].
Despite her Olympic struggles, Shiffrin has **established herself as the greatest skier of all time with a record 108 World Cup wins**[1]. This stark contrast between her dominant World Cup performance and poor Olympic results underscores how challenging the Olympic stage has been for her in recent years, despite her unparalleled regular-season success.
Brignone delivered **two smooth runs** to win the giant slalom gold medal, **finishing 0.62 seconds ahead** of joint silver medalists Sara Hector of Sweden and Thea Louise Stjernesund of Norway[1]. This victory also made her both the Olympic and world champion in her favored discipline[1].
