Winter Olympics 2026: Zoe Atkin and sister Izzy celebrate 'full-circle moment' after halfpipe triumph at Milano Cortina

Zoe Atkin and Izzy Atkin celebrated a full-circle moment together after Team GB's halfpipe triumph at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Zoe followed in her sister's footsteps as she recorded a third-place finish in the halfpipe behind China's Eileen Gu in first and her compatriot Li Fanghui in second. Izzy won bronze in the slopestyle eight years ago in PyeongChang.

Fans were treated to one of the most endearing moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday as Zoe Atkin celebrated winning her bronze medal by embracing her sister, Izzy Atkin, in front of the TNT Sport cameras.

Izzy, who at 27 is the older of the two siblings, is no stranger to Winter Olympic glory herself, having won Team GB’s first skiing medal at a Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018.

Zoe, 23, followed in her older sister’s footsteps on Sunday as she took bronze in the halfpipe at Milano Cortina behind China’s Eileen Gu in first and Li Fanghui in second.

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The 27-year-old Izzy, who claimed the bronze medal in the slopestyle eight years ago, insisted her sister’s triumph felt like a full-circle moment.

"I am just so proud," she said. "I am so incredibly proud of her.

"It feels like a really kind of full circle moment. I know how hard she has worked for this."

Watch: 'She's done it!' - Team GB's Atkin nails final run to seal halfpipe bronze

Video credit: TNT Sports

Then, in one of the most endearing moments of the Games, her sister Zoe burst into shot.

The newly-crowned Winter Olympic bronze medalist was clearly overjoyed, bouncing up and down while smiling from ear to ear and embracing her sibling.

The pair stood together as Izzy went on to explain how hard her sister had worked to make it onto the podium.

Watch medal ceremony as GB's Atkin is presented with brilliant bronze and Gu collects gold

Video credit: TNT Sports

"I just know how hard she has worked for this," the older Atkin said.

"I know how far she has come, and I am just so incredibly happy for her and her skiing.

"I know how much time she has put into this, and I know it means the world."

Watch: Gu puts it DOWN with huge final run to take gold

Video credit: TNT Sports

Winning one Olympic medal is enough to make any parent proud, but to have two siblings write their names into the history books is simply remarkable.

Izzy joked that her parents must have done something right, and claimed it was harder watching her sister than actually competing.

Asked what their parents were eating, she said: "We will have to ask our dad and mum. I don’t know what they are doing, something right.

Gu on gold: I showed the world

Video credit: TNT Sports

"It is almost more nerve-wracking watching than it is skiing.

"I couldn’t breathe, but you did it."

Zoe has enjoyed an amazing few years after also winning gold at the World Championships in 2025.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

She revealed that Izzy was the biggest inspiration behind her decision to ski.

"It is so special, you are the whole reason I got into this sport," she said.

"You have always been a huge inspiration to me and my biggest role model.

"After you won bronze in 2018, I was like ‘I have to do this, that is so awesome’.

"So, to have you watching me this time instead of the other way around is so full-circle."

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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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