CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Italian skier Federica Brignone captured her second gold medal in four days at her home Winter Olympics by winning the women’s giant slalom on Sunday, as Mikaela Shiffrin finished off the podium again.
The race isn’t officially over yet, with dozens of lower-tier racers still to take the course. But Brignone is the leader among the fastest 30 skiers from the first run.
The 35-year-old Brignone, who won the downhill on Thursday for her first gold at an Olympics, led by 0.34 seconds after the first run of the giant slalom and put in a polished second run in gorgeous conditions in the Dolomite Mountains above Cortina.
She finished 0.62 seconds ahead of defending champion Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund, who shared the silver medal.
After Brignone crossed the line to loud cheers from the home crowd, Hector and Stjernesund ran into the finish area and bowed down to the champion to a backdrop of chants of «Fede» from fans.
«Fede just proved that she’s better,» U.S. skier Paula Moltzan said.
Shiffrin, the U.S. standout, was in down in 11th place and has now failed to win a medal in eight straight Olympic races since the Winter Games in 2018.
Redemption for Shiffrin could come in her best event, the slalom, on Wednesday, and she didn’t show any outward signs of disappointment after her second run, blowing out her cheeks and waving to the fans in the grandstand with both hands.
It completes a stunning comeback for the popular Brignone, who was world champion in the GS in February 2025 before breaking multiple bones in her left leg in March that required surgery and a handful of screws to repair, leaving her unable to walk for three months.
Before these Games, Brignone had a silver and two bronzes at the Olympics.
