Winter Olympics: Mathilde Gremaud pips Eileen Gu to women's freeski slopestyle gold as Kirsty Muir misses out on first medal for Team GB
Updated 09/02/2026 at 14:37 GMT
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Kirsty Muir could only manage fourth in the women's freeski slopestyle final as Team GB missed out on a first medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The 21-year-old was one of the favourites but struggled to put together a clean run. Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud took a stunning gold ahead of China's Eileen Gu and Canada's Megan Oldham in third.
Muir's fourth place in slopestyle final 'devastating' - Woods
Video credit: TNT Sports
Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud took a stunning gold in the women’s freeski slopestyle final ahead of China’s Eileen Gu as Team GB’s Kirsty Muir agonisingly missed out on a medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
Gu led after the first runs with a score of 86.58 but couldn’t improve and was pipped by her great Swiss rival. Gremaud put together a near-flawless second run for a score of 86.96, which was good enough for gold.
As for Muir, she was expected to challenge the top two but left herself with a mountain to climb after failing to put together a clean run before her final effort.
The Team GB star landed the biggest trick of the final, but it was only enough to earn her fourth place after a scruffy landing on her penultimate jump, a double cork 1080. Canada's Megan Oldham took bronze to complete the podium.
"That was honestly devastating," TNT Sports expert James Woods said. "Coming fourth in anything is rotten, it sucks. It’s the worst thing ever.
"But Kirsty had all the ingredients today, and it was just incredibly unfortunate. She put down the biggest trick of the day, the one that took down Megan Oldham in her first or second run. She just delivered, she did incredibly well."
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Muir 'in a bit of a hole right now' after coming so close to Olympic medal
Video credit: TNT Sports
It was billed as a battle between Gu, Gremaud and Muir – the top three in qualifying – for gold, but the Brit gave herself work to do after the opening run after failing to land her penultimate jump and missing the final ramp.
Muir then failed to land the same jump cleanly on her second run before opting for a different trick with her final attempt.
While it was her best effort, her score of 76.05 was not enough to displace Oldham (76.46) for bronze.
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In the battle for top spot, Gu laid down a stunning early marker that had all the hallmarks of a gold-medal run.
However, uncharacteristically, she came off the first rail on her second and third runs to leave the door open for Gremaud.
And the Swiss snowboarder stormed through, leapfrogging her rival with a double cork 1260 capping a trio of wonderful jumps.
After qualifying in top spot, Gremaud knew she was the Olympic champion when Gu failed to improve on her third run and could soak in the moment on her way down the hill.
'The best slopestyle run I've ever done' - Gu delighted with silver
Reacting to finishing second, Gu said: "I’m so happy to be here. For so many reasons. I think the Olympics embody the distilled essence of this sport, and it’s about peaking at the right time so you can show the world all the work you’ve put in for the last four years, and I’m so proud to say this is the best slopestyle run I’ve ever done.
"I also know it’s the best one Mathilde has ever done, so being able to push each other like that when it counts is so special. I’m so honoured to be a part of it.
"I’ve always said my biggest goal is to bring the sport of freeskiing to more people and I hope we’ve represented the sport well today. And I hope that because of me, maybe one young girl at home has decided to try, and then my goal will be accomplished."
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Watch: Muir WOWS with brilliant first run as she seals slopestyle final spot
Video credit: TNT Sports
For Muir, all is not lost, as she still has the women's skiing big air competition to look forward to. Qualifying is on February 14, with the final two days later on February 16.
And Team GB will still hope to claim a maiden medal on Day 3 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. Mia Brookes, 19, will bid to become Great Britain's youngest gold medalist in the Winter Olympics for 78 years when she goes for glory in the big air final on Monday.
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Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.
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