KIRSTY MUIR’S COMES IN 4TH IN THE WOMEN’S BIG AIR FINAL
In a night of high drama and breathtaking tricks at the, British freeskier Kirsty Muir delivered one of the most compelling performances of her career, only to finish agonisingly in fourth place in the Women’s Big Air final at Livigno Snow Park.
The 21-year-old from Aberdeen once again found herself on the brink of an Olympic podium, narrowly missing out on what would have been a historic medal for Team GB. Just a week earlier, Muir had suffered heartbreak in the slopestyle final, also finishing fourth by the narrowest of margins.
The final began under challenging conditions — heavy snowfall and strong winds forced a significant delay before competition could begin. Even after the wait, conditions remained demanding as the world’s best freeskier lineup prepared to put it all on the line.
Muir started solidly, landing a clean double cork 1080 on her opening attempt and building momentum. But it was her second run that electrified the field: a massive double cork 1620 that earned her 93.00 points, the third-highest individual jump score of the entire evening. That effort surged her into second place heading into the final round — a real chance to secure an Olympic medal.
Muir’s medal hopes hung in the balance as the later competitors raised the bar. China’s Eileen Gu climbed above her into silver medal position, and Italy’s Flora Tabanelli, competing in front of a passionate home crowd despite having battled back from injury, landed a huge score to take bronze.
Knowing she needed something exceptional to reclaim a medal spot, Muir went for broke on her final run with a trick she had never successfully landed in competition. Unfortunately, she crashed on the attempt, ending her night with a total of 174.75 points, just 3.5 points short of the bronze position.
In the arena and across social media, fans and commentators alike were moved by Muir’s courage and competitive fire. Despite the heartbreak of finishing just outside the medals for the second time at these Games, she expressed pride in her performance, acknowledging the risks she took and the effort she poured into every jump.
“It’s a bit bittersweet,” Muir said in the mixed zone. “I went for something I’ve never landed before - I gave it my all.”