Kirsty Muir's Medal Hopes Dashed in Dramatic Big Air Final
British freeskier Kirsty Muir experienced a heartbreaking near-miss at the Winter Olympics, finishing fourth in the women's big air final after a dramatic competition that saw her medal hopes evaporate in the final moments. The 21-year-old from Aberdeen appeared poised for a podium position after landing a spectacular left double 1620 with four and a half rotations, but was ultimately edged out by three exceptional performances.
Italian's Remarkable Comeback Steals Bronze
With just four jumps remaining in the competition, Italian skier Flora Tabanelli delivered a stunning performance despite having torn her anterior cruciate ligament in November. Tabanelli executed the same complex maneuver as Muir but with superior execution, scoring 94.25 points to claim the bronze medal and push the British athlete off the podium.
"It was a little bit bittersweet," Muir admitted afterward. "I didn't know what she did, but I knew it bumped my score by a decent amount and therefore I really did have to go for it. I went for the 16 again but wanted to get a tail grab in there and that was the thing I knew would give me the best chance of getting on to the podium."
The competition, which was delayed by 75 minutes due to heavy snow and high winds, ultimately saw Canadian Megan Oldham claim gold with a score of 180.75 points. China's Eileen Gu secured silver with 179 points, while Tabanelli's 178.25 points earned her bronze. Muir finished just 3.5 points behind the podium with 174.75 points.
Second Fourth-Place Finish for Muir
This marked Muir's second fourth-place finish at these Winter Olympics, having previously placed fourth in the women's freeski slopestyle event the previous week. Despite the disappointment, Muir remained positive about her performance.
"I'm really stoked that I went for it," she said. "I gave it my all and I'm taking that with me." Muir's performance demonstrated remarkable courage and technical skill, particularly given the challenging weather conditions that affected the competition schedule.
Dave Ryding's Olympic Farewell in Slalom Event
Meanwhile, British skiing legend Dave Ryding concluded his Olympic career with a 17th-place finish in the men's slalom event in Bormio. The 39-year-old, who became Britain's first World Cup skiing champion four years ago in Kitzbuhel, acknowledged the physical toll of his remarkable career.
"I said I would ski race until my legs fall off and I think they pretty much have," Ryding reflected. "Five-time Olympian, World Cup winner – I really can't ask for much more. The icing on the cake would have been to pull something out today. I just didn't quite have it to be honest."
Unlikely Journey from Dry Slopes to Olympic Glory
Ryding's path to Olympic competition was anything but conventional. He began skiing at age six on a 50-meter dry-ski slope in Pendle, Lancashire, where he would sometimes have to dodge sheep during training sessions. It wasn't until he was twelve that he first experienced snow skiing, thanks to a family holiday promised by his working-class parents if he and his sister reached a decent skill level.
"I did it a totally different way and you probably say it was a one in a million shot," Ryding said of his unconventional journey. "But I proved that you can do it."
Despite UK Sport completely cutting skiing funding in 2022 before partially restoring it, Ryding made the selfless decision to use his £80,000 annual funding to help teammates like Billy Major travel to competitions. Major finished 16th in the same slalom event.
Looking Toward the Future
Although retiring from competition, Ryding plans to remain involved in the sport to help develop the next generation of British skiers. He expressed confidence in the emerging talent coming through British skiing programs.
"I would put a bit of money on it saying that it is possible," he said about future British success. "We have Youth Olympic and World Junior Championship medals so the next generation is amazing. I really hope UK Sport sees that and get behind them."
Ryding also revealed his post-retirement fitness goals, including improving his parkrun personal best of 16 minutes and 54 seconds. "For sure, I don't think I'll get a dad bod too soon," he joked as he bid farewell to Olympic competition.
British Curling Teams Face Semi-Final Challenges
In other Winter Olympics action, both British curling teams encountered difficulties in their quest for semi-final berths. The men's team suffered a narrow 7-6 defeat against Norway, while the women's team fell 10-6 to Switzerland. These losses put both teams in precarious positions regarding their advancement in the tournament.
The performances across multiple sports highlighted both the triumphs and challenges facing British athletes at the Winter Olympics, with Muir's near-miss and Ryding's retirement marking significant moments in British winter sports history.
