Kirsty Muir’s Olympic Heartbreak Continues with Fourth-Place Finish in Big Air
Aberdeen freestyle skier Kirsty Muir suffered another agonizing fourth-place finish at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, this time in the women’s freestyle Big Air competition at Livigno Snow Park.
Agonizingly Close to the Podium
Just one week after missing out on a slopestyle medal at the same venue by less than a point, the 21-year-old Muir found herself on the cusp of a podium finish once again. She landed a 1620, scoring 93.0 – the third-highest score of the competition – to move into second place after the second round.
Tabanelli and Gu Push Muir Down
But, a strong performance from Chinese superstar Eileen Gu pushed Muir down to bronze-medal position. Italy’s Flora Tabanelli then posted a score of 94.25, forcing Muir to attempt an even more challenging jump to regain a top-three spot. Muir ultimately crashed on her final attempt.
Oldham Takes Gold
The result secured gold for Megan Oldham of Canada, with Gu taking silver and Tabanelli earning bronze to the delight of the home crowd. This marked the fifth fourth-place finish for Great Britain at the Games.
Delayed Start Due to Conditions
The final was delayed by over an hour due to strong winds and blizzard conditions. Muir’s chances were too boosted by the withdrawal of Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud, the slopestyle winner, after a crash in training.
Muir Reflects on the Competition
“It was a little bit bittersweet,” Muir said after the event. “I didn’t realize what she [Tabanelli] did, but I knew it bumped my score by a decent amount and therefore I really did have to go for it. I gave it my all and I’m taking that with me.”
Final Results
- Gold: Megan Oldham (Canada) – 180.75
- Silver: Eileen Gu (China) – 179
- Bronze: Flora Tabanelli (Italy) – 178.25
- Fourth: Kirsty Muir (Great Britain) – 174.75
Muir had previously won a silver medal in Big Air at the Aspen X Games last month.