In a dazzling display of skill and resilience, Zoe Atkin clinched a bronze medal in the women’s freeski halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, capping off Team GB’s most successful Winter Games to date. The 23-year-old, already recognized as the reigning world and X Games champion, overcame a dramatic weather delay and fierce competition to secure her place on the podium, matching her older sister Izzy’s Olympic bronze from Pyeongchang 2018 and further cementing the Atkin family legacy in British snowsports.
The road to Sunday’s final was anything but smooth. Originally scheduled for Saturday night under the lights, the event was postponed due to a relentless blizzard that blanketed the Livigno Snow Park, rendering the halfpipe unsafe and visibility nearly nonexistent. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) made the call late Saturday afternoon: “Unfortunately, due to persistent heavy snow and the inability to prepare the pipe in a safe and fair condition, the jury has made the decision to postpone the women’s halfpipe finals to Sunday.” With the Milan-Cortina Games drawing to a close, there was added pressure to complete the event before the closing ceremony in Verona.
As Sunday dawned, the weather gods finally smiled on Livigno. The sun broke through, the temperature hovered at a crisp minus two degrees Celsius, and the pipe was ready for action. Eleven athletes lined up for the final, with Canada’s Cassie Sharpe, who had qualified third, forced to withdraw after a heavy crash in qualifying left her with a concussion. The stakes were sky-high—not only was this the last women’s freeski event of the Games, but it was also Team GB’s final shot at snowsport glory.
Atkin, born in Massachusetts to a British father and Malaysian mother, has represented Great Britain throughout her career. She entered the final as the top qualifier, having posted an impressive 91.50 points in the heats. Her amplitude—soaring up to 5.5 meters on her runs, nearly two meters higher than most rivals—was her secret weapon. “I can’t even begin to describe the rollercoaster of emotions it is here at the Olympics. I was so stressed out today and so nervous. So I kind of played a little bit safer on my first run just to put one down. And then I set it up on that third run there, so I’m just super stoked,” Atkin admitted after the competition.
The final itself was a tense affair, with nerves visible across the field. Several athletes struggled to adjust to the fresh snow, crashing on their first attempts. Atkin, looking relaxed at the top of the pipe, spent a moment chatting with her coach and choosing her music before dropping in for her opening run. She delivered a composed and technically sound performance, scoring 90.50 and taking the early lead. Her first trick’s amplitude—measured at 4.5 meters—was a clear statement to her competitors.
But the competition was fierce. China’s Eileen Gu, the defending Olympic champion and the most decorated freeskier in history, stumbled on her first run, scoring just 30.00 after bailing out early. Yet, Gu rebounded spectacularly on her second attempt, nailing the trick she had missed in qualifying and posting a 94.00 to seize the lead. Australian sensation Indra Brown wowed the crowd with the first cork 1080 of the day but managed only 65.00, while China’s Li Fanghui executed a flawless run to edge ahead of Atkin with a 91.50.
Atkin’s second run was a heart-stopper. She soared an incredible 5.5 meters high—described by commentator James ‘Woodsy’ Woods as “outrageous” and “ridiculous”—but clipped the pipe with her skis and crashed hard, unable to improve her score. Despite the setback, Atkin regrouped for her final run. With pressure mounting, she delivered an excellent routine highlighted by a massive switch 900, once again showcasing amplitude that dwarfed her rivals. Her score of 92.50 nudged her just half a point shy of silver, but it was enough to secure bronze and a deeply emotional celebration with her fellow medallists.
Gu, meanwhile, cemented her status as a legend by defending her Olympic title with a final run score of 94.75, reaching a height of 4 meters and embracing her teammate Li, who claimed silver with a 93.00. The Chinese duo’s dominance was clear, but Atkin’s performance stood out for its daring and consistency under immense pressure.
Reflecting on her achievement, Atkin was quick to acknowledge the family inspiration behind her success. “I wanted to one up her so bad! But no, watching her in 2018 has always been such a big moment of inspiration for me. And she’s always been my biggest role model. It was so full circle to have her watching me here and supporting me, when I was watching her in Pyeongchang when she got her medal. It’s really special, and to share that with her means so much,” she said, with her family and sister Izzy cheering from the stands in Livigno.
Atkin’s bronze also brought Team GB’s medal tally to five at these Games—three golds, one silver, and one bronze—matching the record set in Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018, but with more golds than ever before. This historic haul included Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale’s gold in the mixed snowboard cross, marking Britain’s first-ever Olympic gold in snowsport and highlighting a new era for British winter athletes.
The final was not without its what-ifs. Had the weather not cleared, there was a very real possibility that medals would have been awarded based on qualifying results, which would have given Atkin the gold by default. However, all athletes were relieved that the competition played out as intended, allowing for a fair and thrilling finale to the women’s freeski halfpipe.
With her bronze, Atkin joins her sister in the Olympic record books, and both are now recognized as two of Britain’s greatest skiers over a century of competition. Off the slopes, Zoe Atkin is equally impressive, studying symbolic systems at Stanford University, where she shares a campus—and a fierce sporting rivalry—with Eileen Gu.
As the sun set on Livigno and the Milan-Cortina Games, Team GB’s athletes and fans alike celebrated a winter for the ages. For Zoe Atkin, the journey from inspired teenager watching her sister in 2018 to Olympic medallist in her own right is now complete—a story of family, perseverance, and British sporting history written on the snow.