Kirsty Muir Denied Slopestyle Medal by Narrowest of Margins
Great Britain's Kirsty Muir experienced agonising disappointment at the Livigno Snow Park, missing out on a freeski slopestyle bronze medal by a mere 0.41 points. The 21-year-old Scot, considered among the pre-competition favourites, finished fourth in a fiercely contested final that saw Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud claim gold.
Emotional Aftermath for British Contender
Muir was visibly distraught following the result, keeping her ski goggles on while speaking to broadcasters and being comforted by family members. "I'm obviously a bit sad," she admitted afterwards. "It's just a tough place to be, fourth. I had a bit of difficulties in the first two runs, but I'm proud I put a run down."
The British skier explained her tactical adjustment during the competition: "On the second jump, I was trying for a mute grab in my double just because it makes it a little bit harder. I was really pushing for that extra boost. Today it slipped away from me, so I went back to safety to just get a run down."
Technical Breakdown of Muir's Performance
Muir's competition began with significant challenges during her initial runs:
- First Run: She looked excellent through the three rail sections but faltered on her penultimate jump - a double cork 1080 - scoring only 37.15 points and sitting provisionally in 10th position.
- Second Run: Although completed, this attempt appeared shaky at points, with the double cork continuing to cause difficulties, earning 63.01 points.
- Final Run: The recently crowned X Games champion produced her best performance when it mattered most, but her score proved insufficient for podium placement.
Despite the disappointment, Muir's fourth-place finish represents an improvement on her fifth-place result at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. She remains a contender in the upcoming Big Air competition later in the Games.
Podium Places and Champion's Performance
The medal positions were claimed by:
- Mathilde Gremaud (Switzerland): Won gold with an impressive score of 89.96, handling the pressure better than any other favourite and delivering two excellent runs.
- Eileen Gu (China): Took silver with 86.58 points from her first run, though she appeared far from her peerless best with errors on subsequent attempts.
- Megan Oldham (Canada): Secured bronze with a third-run score of 76.46 that ultimately proved just enough to edge out Muir.
Gremaud celebrated her victory with a triumphant lap around the course, a Swiss flag tied around her neck like a cape. The 26-year-old benefited when Gu, then sitting in second place, crashed on her final run and couldn't improve her score.
Other Competitors' Challenges
The competition proved difficult for several other contenders:
Canada's Megan Oldham had played conservatively during qualifying but crashed hard on her second run, receiving warm applause from the crowd as she gingerly regained her feet. Undeterred, she saved her best performance for her final attempt.
Seventeen-year-old Avery Krumme, who had qualified fourth and was expected to challenge for medals, endured a particularly torrid day. After two runs impeded by mistakes, she crashed into a rail during her crucial final attempt and was in tears as spectators applauded her down the course.
Muir's Reflection on Olympic Journey
The British skier contrasted this experience with her Olympic debut four years earlier: "The last time I was 17, I put the tricks down to come fifth, the best I'd ever done them. I was so proud of myself. I've felt in a lot better place with my skiing this time, and I felt like I had a lot more of a chance."
Despite the immediate disappointment, Muir acknowledged the quality of competition: "I'm obviously very proud of the other girls. It was tough when [the second jump] wasn't working out for me, and I switched plans. I'm proud that we did that, and I still put [a clean run] down, but it's hard. I just wanted this a lot."
