Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026: Breezy Johnson wins downhill gold medal, immediately breaks it - ‘It’s a look’
Updated 09/02/2026 at 14:30 GMT
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Some running repairs will be required for the gold medal of newly crowned women’s downhill Winter Olympics champion Breezy Johnson. The American mastered the tricky Cortina d’Ampezzo layout to pip Germany’s Emma Aicher and add a maiden Olympic gold to her roll of honour. However, in celebrating her success, the 30-year-old’s medal was ripped from its ribbon.
Watch: Johnson reveals her gold medal is BROKEN just minutes after ceremony
Video credit: TNT Sports
America’s Breezy Johnson stormed to a stunning gold in the women’s downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, which you can watch live on TNT Sports and discovery+, then swiftly broke her medal in excitement.
Johnson put down an early marker with a sublime run of 1:36.10, and although she was pushed close, it proved enough to hang on to top spot.
Germany’s Emma Aicher took silver but was made to pay for a scruffy start to her run, stopping the clock just 0.04 seconds down on Johnson, while home hope Sofia Goggia completed the podium with bronze.
The race was marred by the serious crash involving Lindsey Vonn, who was competing just nine days after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
The American superstar was sent into a high-speed spin when she clipped an early gate and had to be airlifted to safety.
But for Johnson, it was a momentous first Olympic gold medal, and she was able to see the funny side after breaking it almost immediately.
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Watch: Emotional scenes as Johnson receives gold medal after 'risking it all'
Video credit: TNT Sports
Asked if it was heavy, Johnson said: "It is heavy, it’s broken. It’s a look. I was jumping up and down in excitement, then it just fell off."
On the race itself, she added: "I knew that today everybody was gonna ski super clean. The sun was out, everybody was gonna really step up their game. And I just knew that I had to push, and I had to be clean.
"And when things got a little bit twisted and weird, I knew that the speed was good, and I was like, ‘You just have to keep charging and keep sending it’.
"It hasn't really been sunk in yet."
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Johnson later showed the extent of the damage, revealing a broken piece which was supposed to connect the medal to the ribbon. She offered advice to her fellow athletes in order to avoid suffering the same fate.
"Don’t jump with them," she said. "I was jumping in excitement and it broke. I’m sure somebody will fix it, it’s not crazy broken, just a little broken."
Following her victory, Johnson also paid tribute to her team-mate Vonn.
"I wish you the best and I hope to see you back," she added. "What you’ve already accomplished is so much, it’s incredible. My heart hurts for you and I wish you the best."
Johnson's compatriot, Alysa Liu, has also reported a broken medal, as have Germany's bronze medal-winning biathlon team.
Andrea Francisi, Milano Cortina 2026 Chief Games Operations Officer, said organisers were aware of the issue.
"We are fully aware of the situation," Francisi said. "We are looking into exactly what the problem is.
"We are going to pay maximum attention to the medals, and obviously, this is something we want to be perfect when the medal is handed over, because this is one of the most important moments for the athletes."
It has been a long road to Olympic glory for Johnson, who missed the 2022 Games in Beijing with an ACL injury of her own.
And after the biggest achievement of her career, she was asked if there was anything she would say to her younger self.
"It’s going to be the longest, hardest road of your life," Johnson began. "And there will be turns that make you wonder if it will all work out, and it will, and it will all be worth it."
Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.
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