Breezy Johnson Wins Gold in Women’s Downhill Alpine Skiing

Breezy Johnson secured the gold medal in women’s downhill alpine skiing during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, marking a significant achievement for Team USA.

As the sixth skier to tackle the course, Johnson completed her run with a time of 1 minute, 36.10 seconds. Interestingly, she wasn’t viewed as a favorite before the competition, but she definitely had to keep her composure while the remaining 30 competitors followed her down the mountain.

Italy’s Sofia Goggia, who previously earned a silver in 2022 and a gold in 2018, was also a contender for gold in Milan-Cortina. However, just one misstep was enough to let Johnson maintain the lead.

Johnson had to endure a tense wait as she watched Lindsey Vonn’s attempt. Unfortunately for Vonn, her aspirations for gold were dashed after she crashed dramatically upon entering the first sector. The race was paused for several minutes as medical teams tended to her injuries, which were exacerbated by a prior ACL tear. Despite that, Vonn had shown grit during Friday’s training and managed to compete.

For Johnson, this victory is monumental—it’s her first Olympic medal and actually her first medal in any competition. She was supposed to represent Team USA in 2022 but had to bow out due to a knee injury.

Now, she becomes the second American woman to claim gold in this event, trailing only Vonn.

Emma Eicher from Germany took home the silver medal, while Goggia settled for bronze.

Johnson previously won golds in both the downhill and team combined events at the 2025 World Championships. Now, she can proudly say she is an Olympic gold medalist.