It has been a strong Olympics for the host country, with Italian athletes performing to their potential, or beyond it, putting their at the top of the medal table. There was more on Sunday.
The 35-year old veteran Federica Brignone of Italy, who had won her first career Olympic gold medal in the Super G on Thursday, won a wide open giant slalom. The American Mikaela Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, finished in 11th place.
Brignone, skiing with a tiger on her helmet, raced to the best time on the first run, with six skiers trailing just behind. That meant she didn’t need the best time, just a good enough one, on the second. She got it to win the gold medal with a combined time 0.62 seconds better than her rivals.
Brignone had been chosen to be one of four flag-bearers for the Italian team at the opening ceremonies, an honor usually given to athletes toward the end of their careers. But it turns out that Brignone has just now hit a peak at these Games. Brignone had become the oldest Olympic Alpine gold medalist with her super G win. She broke that record by three days on Sunday.
Shiffrin continued a disappointing Olympic run. She won the gold medal in the slalom in 2014 and the giant slalom in 2018, but failed to finish both races as the favorite in 2022. She was fourth in the team combined earlier these Games. Her best race, the slalom, is Wednesday.
Victor Mather, who has been a reporter and editor at The Times for 25 years, covers sports and breaking news.
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