CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Simply getting to the Milano Cortina Olympics was a triumph enough, and Federica Brignone arrived with no illusions about her medal chances.
Ten months ago, the Italian Alpine skiing star was simply hoping to be able to walk again, her left leg shattered in a crash during the Italian national championships. Even now her leg is not completely healed, and she’s still in pain.
Yet Brignone never lost hope or faith in herself. And on her beloved Olimpia della Tofane course, with Italian fans raucously cheering her on, she became an Olympic champion, winning gold in the super-G on Thursday, Feb. 12.
‘Every day was difficult. There were many days when I was tired, I felt pain. I couldn’t do what I wanted,’ said Brignone, who also has a silver (giant slalom) and a bronze (individual combined) from the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
‘In other words, today was an incredible day.’
As the race finished, eight Italian military jets did a flyover, green, white and red smoke streaming behind them. The entire grandstand remained filled for the medals ceremony, with fans letting out a huge roar as Brignone, who was one of Italy’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony, hopped on the top podium with her arms raised in triumph.
‘I was for sure not the favorite today. But this is the Olympics. It’s a one-day race. Anything can happen,’ Brignone said.
Especially on a day when the course took out most of the contenders.
The super-G course had several jumps and rollers feeding straight into gates. Add to that snow that got soft between the inspection and the race, and anyone who tried to be too aggressive found themselves in trouble.
There were 17 DNFs in the race, including newly minted downhill gold medalist Breezy Johnson and fellow American Mary Bocock, who crashed in her Olympic debut. Jackie Wiles was the top American, in 13th, while Keely Cashman finished 15th.
‘It was really hard to create energy and to push. You had to just be really smooth the whole way,’ said Alice Robinson, who is second in the super-G standings but finished in a tie for eighth. ‘People that were charging and trying to push the line too much, it just wasn’t working.’
But Brignone was in control her entire run. Even when she appeared on the edge of chaos, she was smooth, trusting her skis to guide her. She finished with a top time of 1:23.41, then had to wait as all the other contenders went.
No one got close. France’s Romane Miradoli took silver with a time of 1:23.82, and Austria’s Cornelia Huetter earned bronze 1:23.93.
‘I was proud of myself, really proud of myself. But I was thinking, ‘Oh, (winning) is not possible,” Brignone said.
Brignone’s win is one of those feel-good stories that make the Olympics so compelling. She tore her left ACL and had several fractures in her fibula and tibial plateau in April after crashing during the giant slalom.
But Brignone’s sunny and congenial personality also makes her favorite among her fellow competitors, and there was almost universal happiness for her win. Lindsey Vonn, who is recovering after a nasty crash of her own, posted photos of Brignone after the crash and after the super-G on her Instagram story, writing, ‘What a comeback,’ adding clapping hands, bicep and heart emojis.
‘It’s so incredible seeing Federica back on top of the podium. She’s been through so much with the injury and I think it’s a really cool, full circle moment for her,’ Johnson said. ‘I’m so happy for her. She’s one of the kindest people on the World Cup.’
USA TODAY had full coverage of the Olympic women’s super-G. Scroll below for full results and highlights:
Olympic women’s super-G results
- Federica Brignone, Italy ….. 1:23.41
- Romane Miradoli, France ….. 1:23.82
- Cornelia Huetter, Austria ….. 1:23.93
- Ariane Raedler, Austria ….. 1:23.94
- Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, Norway ….. 1:24.17
- Laura Pirovano, Italy ….. 1:24.17
- Elena Curtoni, Italy ….. 1:24.18
- Camille Cerutti, France ….. 1:24.44
- Alice Robinson, New Zealand ….. 1:24.44
- Malorie Blanc, Switzerland ….. 1:24.65
- Corinne Suter, Switzerland ….. 1:24.80
- Laura Gauche, France ….. 1:25.02
- Jackie Wiles, USA ….. 1:25.40
- Barbora Novakova, Czechia ….. 1:25.58
- Keely Cashman, USA ….. 1:25.61
- Elvedina Muzaferija, Bosnia and Herzegovina ….. 1:25.85
- Delia Durrer, Switzerland ….. 1:25.95
- Maryna Gasienica-Daniel, Poland ….. 1:26.07
- Julia Pleshkova, Individual Neutral Athletes ….. 1:26.32
- Alena Labastova, Czech Republic ….. 1:27.94
- Rebeka Jancova, Slovakia ….. 1:28.51
- Nicole Bedue, Argentina ….. 1:28.68
- Rosa Pohjolainen, Finland ….. 1:29.18
- Elisa Maria Negri, Czechia ….. 1:29.21
- Alexandra Skorokhodova, Kazakhstan ….. 1:31.22
- Sarah Schleper, Mexico ….. 1:31.37
- Kira Weidle-Winkelmann ….. DNF
- Mirjam Puchner, Austria ….. DNF
- Emma Aicher, Germany ….. DNF
- Ester Ledecka, Czech Republic ….. DNF
- Sofia Goggia, Italy ….. DNF
- Ilka Stuhec, Slovenia ….. DNF
- Breezy Johnson, USA ….. DNF
- Mary Bocock, USA ….. DNF
- Nina Ortlieb, Austria ….. DNF
- Janine Schmitt, Switzerland ….. DNF
- Valerie Grenier, Canada ….. DNF
- Jordina Caminal Santure, Andorra ….. DNF
- Cassidy Gray, Canada …. DNF
- Francesca Baruzzi Farriol, Argentina ….. DNF
- Anastasiia Shepilenko, Ukraine ….. DNF
- Matile Schwencke, Chile ….. DNF
- Kiana Kryeziu, Kosovo …..DNF
Stream the 2026 Winter Olympics on Peacock
Flyover in Cortina commemorates Italian gold
Italian military completed a flyover – trailing red, white and green behind them – over Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo to celebrate the gold medal won by Federica Brignone in super-G.
Mexican Mom make history in super-G
Mexico’s Sarah Schleper, who turns 47 next week, was last in the super-G and she didn’t care one bit. Schleper was celebrating when she was in the start gate and wore a big smile when she skied into the finish area. She pumped her first at the cheering crowd, then shook her head like, “Whew!”
Schleper is now the oldest female Alpine skier to compete in a Olympic Winter Games
US skiers shut out of super-G medals
There’ll be no medal for the Americans.
Jackie Wiles, the last U.s. skier to go in the super-G, skied into 13th place, one spot ahead of Keely Cashman. There are still more than a dozen skiers to go.
But at least Wiles and Cashman finished. teammates Breezy Johnson and Mary Bocock both crashed during their runs
American Mary Bocock goes for wild ride
Mary Bocock has crashed in her Olympic debut. She got too much air off a jump, was already off-balance in the air and landed sideways, her skis splayed in front of her.
Nasty as the crash looked, Bocock was able to get right back up. Breezy Johnson skied down to the finish during the break between the runs of Bocock and another American Jackie Wiles, smiling and waving at the crowd.
Downhill champ Breezy Johnson crashes in super-G
About 20 seconds into her run, American star Breezy Johnson got off her line off a jump and clipped the next gate. It spun her around and launched her into the safety netting at the side of the course.
Johnson, who won the gold medal in downhill earlier this week, was able to get back up and ski away from the fence.
Add Italian star Sofia Goggia to DNF list
Make that five of nine DNFs in the Olympic women’s super-G. Italian star Sofia Goggia was going hair on fire and it bit her. The 2026 downhill bronze medalist couldn’t make the turn in time and missed a gate
Czech star Ester Ledeka also can’t finish
Ester Ledecka is out, too. The Czech star was within sight of the finish line and got off balance on the landing of a jump. Looked as if she might be able to save it but then gravity kicked in.
For those counting, that’s four DNFs in first eight skiers
Germany’s top skiing star out
Emma Aicher’s hopes for a medal in a third consecutive event are over. The German skied out during her super-G run, becoming the third DNF in seven skiers so far.
Italian star Federica Brignone takes the lead
And Brignone has the lead! The Italian fans are going nuts in the grandstands as Brignone waves and pumps her first at them.
Olympic super-G produces two early DNFs
Got some early carnage at the super-G! Two of the first four skiers have skied out. There are some very tricky turns and it’s a fine line between carrying speed and being able to navigate the curves
Who are the favorites in Olympic women’s super-G?
This is the rare race where the U.S. women don’t have a medal contender. So who is favored? Italy’s Sofia Goggia leads the season super-G standings. Also keep an eye on New Zealand’s Alice Robinson and Switzerland’s Malorie Blanc, who won the last World Cup race.
It’d be a great story if Italy’s Federica Brignone got on the podium. Last year’s overall champion blew out her knee in April and is still working her way back. When she’s healthy, she’s absolutely a medal threat.
And keep an eye on Ester Ledecka. The 2018 Olympic champ skied in parallel snowboard earlier in the Games – and that took place nowhere close to Cortina!
What time is the women’s super-G at the 2026 Olympics?
Women will compete in Alpine skiing’s super-G beginning at 5:30 a.m. ET (11:30 a.m. local time).
What TV channel is the Olympic women’s super-G on?
USA Network will have live coverage of the women’s super-G at the 2026 Winter Olympics, beginning at 5:30 a.m. ET.
Where is the women’s super-G held at the 2026 Olympics?
The women’s super-G takes place on the world renowned Olympia delle Tofane course at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Is there a live stream of the Olympc women’s super-G?
The women’s super-G at the 2026 Winter Olympics can be streamed on Peacock.