Breezy Johnson secured Team USA's first medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, winning gold in the women's downhill competition on Sunday. Johnson, competing in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, completed the course in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds, according to Time. This victory came as Lindsey Vonn's sisters, Karin and Laura Kildow, watched from the sidelines, hoping for a medal from their older sibling, who was attempting a comeback after knee replacement surgery and a recent ACL injury.
Johnson, 30, was the sixth racer down the slope and had to wait to see if her time would hold up. Upon receiving her medal, Johnson pulled the gold medal from her pocket, stating, "It was definitely heavier than I expected. I think that's maybe why it broke."
The competition took place on Super Bowl Sunday, with the downhill race becoming a major event at the Olympics, according to Time. The race was a high-speed event, considered the most prestigious in skiing.
The games also saw controversy, with former President Donald Trump criticizing U.S. Olympians, including freestyle skier Hunter Hess, for expressing discontent with the administration's policies, according to Fortune. Hess and Chris Lillis had voiced concerns about issues like immigration enforcement at the games, sparking online backlash.
The Winter Olympics also coincided with other major news, including Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, with the Seahawks leading early in the second quarter, and the broadcast set for NBC, Telemundo, and Peacock, according to Time. Additionally, according to NPR News, the U.S. has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment