Kirsty Muir Endures Another Olympic Agony with Fourth in Big Air
British freestyle skier Kirsty Muir has suffered her second devastating fourth-place finish at the Milan and Cortina Winter Olympics, narrowly missing out on a medal in the women's freestyle Big Air competition at Livigno Snow Park. The Aberdeen 21-year-old, who also finished fourth in the slopestyle final exactly one week ago at the same venue, once again found herself on the brink of the podium only to have her hopes shattered in the final moments.
Dramatic Final Rounds Determine Podium Places
In an event where the best two cumulative scores from three attempts decide the final standings, Muir executed a spectacular 1620 rotation during her second run, scoring an impressive 93.0 points—the third-highest score of the entire competition. This remarkable performance propelled her into second place heading into the decisive third round.
However, the competition intensified as Chinese superstar Eileen Gu delivered a strong performance that nudged Muir down into the bronze-medal position. The drama escalated further when Italy's world champion Flora Tabanelli landed a stunning 94.25, forcing Muir to attempt an even more difficult trick to reclaim a podium spot.
Going for Gold Ends in Heartbreak
Pushing for victory, Muir went for broke with her final attempt but unfortunately crashed out, confirming the medal positions. Canada's Megan Oldham secured the gold medal, with Eileen Gu taking silver and Flora Tabanelli earning bronze to the delight of the home Italian crowd. For Great Britain, this marked a painful fifth fourth-place finish of the Games so far.
Challenging Conditions and Competitor Withdrawals
The final faced significant delays due to strong winds and blizzard conditions, with the start postponed by over an hour. Muir's podium prospects received an unexpected boost when Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud, the slopestyle event winner, was forced to withdraw following a training crash.
Muir had demonstrated remarkable resilience after the emotional disappointment of missing a medal by less than a point the previous Monday. She qualified in fourth position behind Oldham—who remains undefeated in this competition since the last Olympics—Gu, and Gremaud. The British skier arrived in Livigno with strong credentials, having won a silver medal in Big Air at the prestigious Aspen X Games just last month.
Controversy Surrounds Chinese Superstar
Eileen Gu, the world's highest-paid sportswoman outside tennis, entered the final amidst controversy with the International Ski Federation. Gu had become embroiled in a dispute over the federation's refusal to grant her additional training time for the halfpipe event. The Chinese athlete, who is attempting an unprecedented triple discipline challenge in slopestyle, Big Air, and halfpipe, criticized the decision, claiming the FIS was effectively "punishing excellence."
Competition Unfolds with Twists and Turns
After the first run, Gu ranked joint third behind Austria's Tara Wolf, who led with a score of 93.5. Muir's relatively conservative opening score of 81.75 placed her midway through the ten-strong field. The British skier dramatically turned the competition on its head with her second jump, positioning herself just behind the dominant Oldham.
Ultimately, both Gu and Tabanelli delivered their best scores in the final rounds, surpassing Muir's total and leaving the British star without an Olympic medal once again. The result adds to Muir's growing collection of near-misses at these Games, highlighting the fine margins that separate Olympic glory from heartbreak in elite winter sports competition.
