Muir narrowly misses podium in slopestyle; Brookes aims for gold

Freestyle skier Kirsty Muir came agonizingly close to securing Great Britain’s inaugural medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing fourth in the women’s slopestyle event. Her impressive final run earned her a score of 76.05 points, placing her just 0.41 points shy of the bronze medal, which was won by Canada’s Megan Oldham at Livigno Snow Park.

After a fall during her second jump in the opening round, Muir, who had advanced to the finals ranked third, found herself in sixth place following her second attempt. However, her final performance showcased significant improvement, leaving her feeling disappointed despite her efforts on such a prestigious stage.

“I gave it my all in every run,” the 21-year-old expressed. “I’m proud to have completed my last run, but it’s hard to come to terms with how close I was to winning a medal. I know I have more to offer.”

The final showcased the remarkable talent present in women’s freestyle skiing, with Mathilde Gremaud successfully defending her Olympic title by a mere 0.38 points. China’s Eileen Gu, recognized not only for her athletic prowess but also for her modeling career and brand partnerships, secured silver despite crashing in her final run, allowing Gremaud to take a celebratory lap.

Wrapped in a Swiss flag, Gremaud embraced her victory as she glided down the course, relishing her achievement. Muir is considered one of Team GB’s strongest contenders for a medal at the Milan-Cortina Games, with another opportunity to claim a podium finish in the upcoming big air event scheduled to begin on Saturday.

“I need to take a moment to process what happened. I don’t want to dwell on this too much,” Muir shared. “With a day or so before the big air competition, I will reflect on this experience, focus on the positives, and completely reset, as the big air is a different challenge altogether.”

In the previous Winter Games held in Beijing, Muir, at just 17, became Great Britain’s youngest competitor, finishing fifth in big air and eighth in slopestyle. Following those Olympics, she celebrated three podium finishes in the World Cup series but faced setbacks when a December 2023 MRI revealed a complete tear of her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which required surgery in early 2024 along with treatment for a lingering shoulder issue.

After eleven months of recovery, Muir returned to the slopes, achieving her first World Cup gold in Tignes in March 2025, followed by two additional golds and a silver in slopestyle and big air at the exclusive X Games just before the Olympics. As she prepares for her next competition, Muir is expected to support her teammate and close friend Mia Brookes, who will compete in the snowboard big air finals starting at 18:30 GMT.

Brookes, a prominent figure in her sport and a world champion along with being a two-time X Games gold medalist, qualified third for the big air event. Additionally, curlers Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds will look to secure their spot in the gold medal match of the mixed doubles when they face off against Sweden in the semi-finals in Milan at 17:05.

Winter Olympics 2026

Dates: February 6-22, Milan-Cortina

Viewers can catch two live streams and highlights on BBC iPlayer (UK only), along with updates on BBC Radio 5 Live, and live text commentary and video highlights available on the BBC Sport website and app.

Full coverage guide

• Winter Sports
• Winter Olympics
• Freestyle Skiing