Kirsty Muir's Olympic Agony: Fourth Place Despite Stunning Double Cork 1440
British freestyle skier Kirsty Muir experienced the bitter taste of Olympic disappointment on Monday, finishing in a heartbreaking fourth place in the women's ski slopestyle final at the Milan and Cortina Winter Games. The 21-year-old Scot missed securing Great Britain's first medal of these Olympics by the narrowest of margins, scoring 76.05 points to fall just 0.41 points short of the bronze medal position.
A Spectacular Final Run Falls Just Short
Muir summoned one of the most difficult tricks in freestyle skiing during her third and final run at Livigno Snow Park, successfully landing a double cork 1440 that showcased her technical prowess and courage under pressure. This impressive maneuver made her the only competitor in the entire field to successfully execute such a high-scoring trick during the competition's final round.
Despite this remarkable achievement, her score of 76.05 points left her agonizingly behind Canadian skier Megan Oldham, who claimed the bronze medal with 76.46 points. The competition's format, which considers only each athlete's single best score from their three runs, meant Muir's earlier difficulties proved costly in the final standings.
From X Games Gold to Olympic Frustration
The disappointment was visibly etched on Muir's face as she processed the result, particularly given her recent outstanding form. Just two weeks before the Olympic competition, Muir had claimed gold at the prestigious Aspen X Games with a dominant performance that would have secured her the Olympic title with considerable room to spare.
"I'm quite mixed at the moment," Muir confessed after the competition. "I'm not angry with myself, not disappointed, but fourth place is just a tough place to be. I had difficulties in the first two runs, and got a bit annoyed with myself after the second. I'm really happy that I managed to pull myself back and put a run down. I obviously wanted to be on that podium, but I'm going to try to take the positives."
Technical Challenges and Strategic Decisions
Muir's path to fourth place involved significant technical challenges during her initial runs. She touched down on her opening attempt and managed to lift herself into sixth place after her second run. Facing mounting pressure and recognizing the need for a high-scoring performance to reach the podium, Muir made the strategic decision to attempt her most difficult trick in the final round.
"I went back to safety to just try to get a run down and get my 14 in the last jump, because that's one of my biggest tricks," Muir explained. "So I knew that would be quite good in my run. It's hard to say how I'm feeling right now. I've got a lot to process."
Medal Standings and Future Opportunities
The women's slopestyle final saw Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud claim the gold medal with an impressive score of 86.96 points, while China's Eileen Gu secured the silver medal with 86.58 points. The podium positions reflected the exceptionally high level of competition at these Olympic Games.
Muir now faces the challenge of regrouping and refocusing ahead of next week's freestyle Big Air competition, where she will have another opportunity to secure an Olympic medal. The Scottish skier finished sixth in the Big Air final during her Olympic debut at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, giving her valuable experience and motivation to improve upon that result in Milan-Cortina.
With time to process her slopestyle disappointment and prepare for her next event, Muir remains a genuine medal contender for Great Britain. Her ability to land one of the competition's most difficult tricks under extreme pressure demonstrates both her technical skill and mental resilience, qualities that will serve her well as she prepares for another Olympic challenge.
