Italy's Federica Brignone delivered an exceptional performance on Thursday, securing gold in the women's giant slalom at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships held in Saalbach, Austria. Brignone, having finished second just days prior in the super-G, clocked the fastest times in both runs to finish with an impressive aggregate time of 2 minutes 22.71 seconds, 0.90 seconds clear of her nearest rival, New Zealand's Alice Robinson, who took silver.
Robinson's triumph marked a historic moment as she became the first New Zealander to earn a medal at the Alpine World Championships. The bronze went to America's Paula Moltzan, who finished just 0.01 seconds ahead of Norway's Thea Louise Stjernesund, drawing emotional reactions as Stjernesund ended her competition weeping after narrowly missing the podium.
"This is one of the best days of my life!" Brignone exclaimed, her excitement palpable as she celebrated her long-awaited victory. The 34-year-old athlete, affectionately known as 'La Tigre' due to the tiger illustration on her helmet, expressed disbelief at finally claiming the gold medal. "It will take time to understand it; I have so many emotions swirling around. Maybe tonight I will realize what I have achieved," she added.
Brignone's victory was particularly sweet as it represented her first gold medal after years of near-misses, including previous world championship silvers and Olympic medals. Notably, she had secured silver at the last world championships held in Courchevel and Meribel as well as at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She became Italy's first women's giant slalom world champion since Compagnoni's back-to-back titles achieved 28 years ago, and now she added this significant notch to her already impressive career.
The championship revealed Brignone's remarkable focus and skill, highlighted by her near-faultless first run, which placed her at the top going onto the second leg. Following her lead, she maintained her edge over competitors like Robinson and Moltzan, both of whom performed admirably yet could not close the gap to Brignone.
Brignone's exceptional speed and agility on the slopes reaffirmed her status as one of the sport's elite. Her victory was made even more significant by the absence of American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, the defending champion, who withdrew from the championship citing mental health concerns stemming from her preliminary injuries sustained earlier this season, which left her feeling unprepared.
Shiffrin's withdrawal opened doors for Brignone and others in the competition, including Robinson, who took advantage of the opportunity. Robinson executed her second run flawlessly, posting the fastest time and putting pressure on Brignone, though Brignone expertly held her lead.
"Skiing down, I did not think it was a good run," Robinson remarked, reflecting on her surprising success. "It was one of those runs where I felt slow but just kept charging. Federica was amazing throughout the event, creating a thrilling competition atmosphere!"
The event drew onlookers, with around 15,000 fans filling the stands, eager to see the thrilling finish as Brignone approached the finish line. Her blazing speeds left spectators breathless and ignited the festive atmosphere throughout the course.
With her latest victory, Italy celebrated its second gold medal of the championships following their earlier win at the mixed team parallel event. For Brignone, this is not merely another medal; it symbolizes the culmination of years of hard work and determination, turning dreams of gold finally to reality.
Brignone's relentless pursuit of excellence and her ability to withstand the mounting pressure placed upon her during the season exemplify her character as well as her talent. She continues to lead the overall World Cup standings, proving her capabilities far beyond just this event.
Now, as the championships proceed with more events still to come, all eyes will be on Brignone to see if this victory at Saalbach will propel her performance forward and inspire other competitors as they share the slopes.