Medals update: Lara Gut-Behrami makes Swiss history with gold in women’s Super-G

Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland was the fastest skier in the women’s Alpine Super-G event at these Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Her time of 1:13.51 at the National Alpine Skiing Centre was enough to see the 2021 world champion take her third Olympic medal and her first-ever gold.

She also became the first Swiss skier (man or woman) to win an Olympic Super-G gold.

"I had no strategy at all. I just tried to ski," Gut-Behrami said of her newly adopted relaxed attitude on the slopes, which seems to be paying off handsomely. "This is what has always been a little bit of a problem in the past -- thinking what to do and what to do better. Now I just try and ski.

"I love Super-G, I told myself it's not a different course to lots I have skied before," the 30-year-old added. "I was so nervous in the finish someone would come faster. I am trying to enjoy it, but I think I am going to need a few more days to understand what is going on."

Mirjam Puchner of Austria nabbed the silver after finishing in a time of 1:13.73 and Swiss Michelle Gisin, the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games Alpine combined champion, scooped bronze with a time of 1:13.81 on a day of impressive skiing and unexpected results.

"I am speechless," said silver winner Puchner. "I never thought I could do this because Super-G was always a little bit difficult for me, but today I had a good feeling."

"It's an amazing hill. I really like it, I liked it the first time I touched the snow yesterday and I skied over the rollers," said Gisin after picking up her bronze. "It was awesome to ski. I just tried to go for it and not look back.

"The hundredths were on my side today," Gisin added when asked about the tight difference (just three hundredths of a second) between her and fourth-place finisher Tamara Tippler of Austria.

Pre-event favourites Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic and Italy's Federica Brignone could only finish in fifth and seventh respectively

USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin – who failed to finish in both her previous events here in Beijing – managed to complete the course in the Super-G.

Shiffrin back in the saddle

Ninth-place wasn't enough for a spot on the podium, but it shows the heart and spirit of this two-time Olympic gold medal-winner and one of the top women’s Alpine skiers of all time.

"First of all it feels pretty incredible to get past the fourth or fifth gate on the hill," Shiffrin said with a laugh. "But I also wasn’t skiing to finish. I was pushing and I was skiing good turns, strong turns, and it’s about where I should be, or even a little bit better, with no practice in the event."

The next women’s Alpine skiing finals are on Tuesday 15 February when the much-anticipated downhill will be contested.

Women’s Alpine skiing Super-G results

• 1 Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) 1:13.51
• 2 Mirjam Puchner (AUS) 1:13.73
• 3 Michelle Gisin (SUI) 1:13.81