Zoe Atkin Matches Sister's Olympic Bronze in Historic Winter Games Performance
British freestyle skier Zoe Atkin has secured a bronze medal in the women's ski halfpipe final at the Livigno Winter Olympics, matching the achievement of her sister Izzy, who won slopestyle bronze in Pyeongchang back in 2018. Atkin's podium finish contributed to a record-equalling fifth Winter Olympic medal for Great Britain at the 2026 Games.
Overcoming Pressure and Weather Delays
Arriving in Italy as the reigning 2025 world champion, Atkin was widely regarded as one of Team GB's strongest medal hopes. However, her path to the podium was not straightforward. Heavy snowfall forced organisers to postpone the competition from its scheduled Saturday evening start time, pushing the final to Sunday morning.
"I can't even begin to describe the rollercoaster of emotions it is here at the Olympics," Atkin revealed after her performance. "I was so stressed out today and so nervous, so I played it a little bit safe on my first run just to put one down, and I stepped it up a little bit on my third run."
A Tense Final Against Chinese Dominance
The 23-year-old skier had set high expectations by qualifying in first place, immediately establishing a lead after her initial run with a score of 91.5. However, Chinese athletes Eileen Gu and Li Fanghui mounted strong challenges in an event where the single best score from three runs determines the final standings.
While Atkin started the final in impressive style, Gu—who was looking to upgrade her two previous silver medals from Livigno and defend her halfpipe crown—struggled initially, pulling out of her first run after an unsettled jump. Gu had been vocal about organisational issues throughout her time in Italy, bringing 21 different pairs of skis and criticising organisers for failing to accommodate her training needs as the only athlete competing in all three disciplines.
Final Run Drama and Family Inspiration
After Atkin crashed on her second attempt, Gu and Li delivered higher-scoring routines to move into first and second place respectively. Atkin, starting last due to her qualifying score, improved her total to 92.5 on her third run, but it fell just short of Li's 93.0 and Gu's gold medal-winning 94.75.
"I wanted to one-up her so bad," Atkin joked about her sister Izzy. "But watching her in 2018 has always been such a big moment of inspiration for me, and she's always been my biggest role model, so to have her watching supporting me when I was watching her in Pyeongchang was so special."
Record-Equalling Team Performance and Gu's Historic Achievement
Atkin's bronze means Team GB have matched their previous best Winter Olympics haul of five medals from both the 2014 and 2018 Games, though with three golds this time, it represents their most successful Winter Games performance to date.
For Eileen Gu, the victory provided emphatic vindication of her decision to contest all three freestyle disciplines. The 22-year-old, reputedly the world's richest sportswoman outside tennis, celebrated her sixth career Olympic medal with characteristic confidence.
"I'm the most decorated freeskier of all time, male or female," Gu declared. "I have the most gold medals ever, male or female. That's a testament to competitive strength, it's mental strength. It's being able to perform under pressure, it has nothing to do with if you're a boy or a girl."
Atkin's achievement, set to L'il Wayne streaming through her ear-buds during competition, represents not only a personal triumph but a continuation of a remarkable family legacy in winter sports.
