Kirsty Muir's Olympic Heartbreak: Second Fourth-Place Finish in Milano Cortina 2026
Scottish freestyle skier Kirsty Muir has experienced the bitter taste of Olympic disappointment for the second time in just seven days at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The 21-year-old from Aberdeen narrowly missed the podium in a thrilling Big Air final, exactly one week after finishing fourth in her signature slopestyle event.
A Week of Olympic Agony
Muir's Olympic journey has been marked by agonising near-misses. In the Big Air final, she delivered the competition's third-highest score with her breathtaking second trick - a spectacular 1620 featuring four and a half revolutions. However, with only two of three attempts counting toward the final score, she found herself in fourth position once again.
"I'm a bit up and down at the moment," Muir confessed after the competition. "I'm not really sure how to feel. I put it all out there so I'm really proud of that. On the third run, I went for a trick I haven't landed before, so I gave it my all and I'm taking that with me."
Olympic History Repeating
This latest disappointment marks Muir's fifth Olympic top-ten finish across two Games. Four years ago, as the youngest member of Team GB, she placed fifth and eighth in her events. Her consistent performance across four Olympic attempts demonstrates remarkable talent, yet the podium has remained frustratingly elusive.
The Big Air final proved particularly competitive, with Canada's Megan Oldham claiming gold despite not having competed in the discipline since the previous Olympics. Defending champion Eileen Gu of China secured her second silver of the Games, while Italian world champion Flora Tabanelli took bronze, edging Muir out of medal contention.
Team GB's Mixed Fortunes
Muir's near-miss represents the fifth such disappointment for Team GB at these Games, though the British team did celebrate their first gold on snow when Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale triumphed in the mixed snowboard cross event.
Meanwhile, Scotland's curling teams face their own challenges. Bruce Mouat's world champion men's team, considered gold medal favourites, find themselves in danger of early elimination after suffering three defeats in four matches. The women's team, led by Sophie Jackson, currently sits seventh with two wins from four games.
Looking to the Future
Despite the disappointment, Muir maintained a positive outlook, describing her experience as "a little bit bittersweet" while expressing gratitude for being part of what she called "the greatest women's Big Air final ever."
"It's a thrill being part of a competition like that where the girls are absolutely killing it," she said. "We're pushing the sport to new levels and I'm really stoked about that. There's a long way to go before the next Olympics. I've got so much more ahead of me - I'm just excited for the future and what's to come."
In other British Olympic news, figure skating pair Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby concluded their campaign with an overall score of 179.06, achieving season's best performances in both their short programme and free skate routines.
As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics continue through February 22, British fans can follow all the action with comprehensive coverage available through various broadcasting platforms, ensuring no moment of Olympic drama goes unwatched.
