Idaho native wins Team USA’s first gold of the 2026 Olympic Games

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VICTOR, Teton County (Idaho Statesman) – Idaho native Breezy Johnson received Team USA’s first gold of the 2026 Olympic Games on Sunday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Born in Victor, Idaho, Johnson claimed the ladies’s downhill with a time of 1 minute, 36.1 seconds to finest silver medalist Emma Aicher of Germany by .04 seconds. Johnson began sixth out of 36 rivals, so she had a protracted wait to search out out if her time would maintain up.

“I had a good feeling about today. I sort of still can’t believe it yet, so I don’t know when it’ll sink in,” Johnson mentioned, based on ESPN.

Breezy Johnson of the United States reacts in the finish area of the alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
Breezy Johnson of the United States reacts within the end space of the alpine ski ladies’s downhill race, on the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday. Johnson is a local of Victor, Idaho. | Jean-Christophe Bott, Keystone by way of AP

“I knew I had to push. I knew I had to go harder than I did in training. I had to be super clean, and I felt like I did that. I got a little bit squirrely off of some of the jumps, but I tried to just keep it rolling, and I knew the speeds were good. I just hoped it would be enough.”

It is the primary Olympic medal of Johnson’s profession. She has made one earlier Olympic crew, taking seventh within the downhill and 14th in Super-G in 2018 at Pyeongchang, South Korea. Johnson was scheduled to compete in 2022 at Beijing, however needed to withdraw due to a knee damage sustained in a coaching crash.

During media interviews after Sunday’s win, Johnson revealed that her gold medal was already broken. The clip holding the ribbon to her medal broke off.

“I haven’t really been anywhere else,” Johnson mentioned throughout interviews. “I assume somebody will fix it.”

Johnson is simply the second American lady to win the downhill. Teammate Lindsey Vonn was the primary to take action on the 2010 Vancouver Games. Vonn additionally certified for Milano Cortina, however an accident per week earlier than the Olympics left her with a torn ACL in her left knee. She selected to compete anyway Sunday, crashing about 14 seconds into her race. Vonn needed to be airlifted off the mountain.

RELATED | Lindsey Vonn in secure situation after crashing, breaking left leg in Olympic last

Vonn later underwent an orthopedic operation to stabilize a fracture in her left leg, based on ESPN.

Johnson nonetheless has two extra possibilities at gold, as she is scheduled to compete within the Super-G on Thursday and the crew mixed occasion on Tuesday.

United States' Breezy Johnson, center, gold medal in an alpine ski women's downhill race, celebrates on the podium with silver medalist Germany's Emma Aicher, left, and bronze medalist Italy's Sofia Goggia, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
United States’ Breezy Johnson, heart, gold medal in an alpine ski ladies’s downhill race, celebrates on the rostrum with silver medalist Germany’s Emma Aicher, left, and bronze medalist Italy’s Sofia Goggia, on the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday. Johnson is a local of Victor, Idaho. | Andy Wong, Associated Press
United States' Breezy Johnson celebrates winning the gold medal in the alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
United States’ Breezy Johnson celebrates successful the gold medal within the alpine ski ladies’s downhill race, on the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday. Johnson is a local of Victor, Idaho. | Robert F. Bukaty, Associated Press

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