Lara Gut-Behrami becomes Switzerland’s first Olympic Super G gold medallist

Heading into today’s race the Italian women’s team has been dominating the Super G World Cup circuit claiming the majority of victories throughout the races. Today, however, they were not up to the challenge with their best skier finishing 7th.

The Swiss skier, Lara Gut-Behrami has had quite the roller-coaster of a season but today laid all of her cards down and put in a strong run to claim her first Olympic gold medal. Putting in a strong run, she finished 0.22 seconds ahead of Austrian, Mirjam Puchner, and becomes the first Swiss skier to win gold in the Olympic Super G event. Gut-Behrami isn’t new to the Olympic podium, in 2014 she claimed the bronze in the downhill and a few days ago the bronze in the Beijing 2022 GS. She now holds the title of Olympic and World Champion in the women’s Super G.

On a major change in the way she viewed her life being key to this success:
“A lot of things changed in my life. I met my husband after the injury (in 2017). Probably he was the key that I started to think less. And to talk more with my family too. I am sure my dad (also her coach) was telling me the same thing that he’s telling me now when I was 20 but I wasn’t convinced, I didn’t listen. Or maybe I listened but I couldn’t get it into my head. 
“I think the moment I started to have a real life around skiing, having a balance in my life and realising it’s not just about skiing. That if I win my week is safe and if things don’t go well I am going to have a horrible week and just think about skiing – that helped me (to not think like this). 
“I am not saying that it sometimes doesn’t go this way. I am always angry when I am skiing bad. But I realised at some point that I had to stop, that I am first a person and then an athlete.” 

On winning gold after twice finishing fourth in Olympic super-G races:
“Today I just thought it was probably going to be my last Olympic super-G of my life and I just wanted to show something great. I just wanted to ski. 
“I am happy that this time I am fast enough because last time for sure I was fourth and it was always tight. It’s not bad to have the hundredths by my side this time.”

On skiing against herself and the mountain, not her rivals:
“I never try or like to compare myself with the others because, first of all, I respect everyone and I know what it means to compete. I know what it means to have such a long career as mine and from all the girls I know what it means to get back from injuries, from tired moments. 
“For sure it’s a competition, someone wins, you get second, third, but I never see myself competing against someone. 

On a new, relaxed attitude helping her, at the age of 30, to win a first Olympic gold: 
“I had no strategy at all. I just tried to ski. This is what has always been a little bit of a problem in the past – thinking what to do and what to do better. Now I just try and ski.
“I was so nervous in the finish someone would come faster. I am trying to enjoy it, but I think I am going to need a few more days to understand what is going on.” 

A surprising day for Mirjam Puchner (AUT) as she claims silver in her Olympic debut. Puchner’s first Super G World Cup podium only came a few months ago where she claimed 3rd in the Super G in Lake Louise (CAN).

On whether she expected a medal:
“Absolutely not. The warm-up was also not very good, it was very bad. I did not expect a medal in super-G.
“I’ve had ups and downs this season in this discipline, but I tried to have a focus on the race and on the slope, and tried to push really hard.”

On her surprise at claiming super-G silver: 
“I am speechless. I never thought I could do this because super-G was always a little bit difficult for me, but today I had a good feeling.

On the course:
“You have to know the slope and the course really good because there are some blind gates and you have to know where to go and try to focus.”

On her teammate Tamara Tippler (AUT), who was fourth:
“We share the same technician, we are really good friends. I know the fourth place is really hard. Three hundredths of a second is very hard, and we are a team and we are close to each other.
“We know that she was really fast in the steep part, and I think she is hot for the downhill – on fire.”

On the support of her family and friends: 
“For the last years it was not easy, after my injury, and they have always supported me and I am so thankful about that. I just want to say thank you to them.” 

With only 0.11 seconds splitting 2nd and 4th place in today’s Super G, Michelle Gisin was sitting right in the middle. Finishing 0.08 seconds behind Puchner and only a mere 0.03 seconds ahead of Tamara Tippler (AUT), Gisin managed to hold onto her spot and claim her first Olympic Super G medal.

On her bronze run: 
“Not too much strategy, just go for it. It’s an amazing hill. I really like it, I liked it the first time I touched the snow yesterday and I skied over the rollers. It’s awesome to ski. I just tried to go for it and not look back. 
“I just tried to send it and then I tried to send it even more into the flat, the most important part here. Then I touched the blue line (which marks the racing line) once and it was like ‘urgh’. I thought ‘ohh shoot’ when I was in the finishing area, (I thought) these eight-hundredths (of a second) would be very, very expensive today but in the end it was enough. 
“The hundredths were on my side today.” 

On recovering from mononucleosis to claim Olympic bronze: 
“It’s insane. I don’t really get this into my head, I had mononucleosis this summer, I couldn’t train at all. I was watching the Olympics (Tokyo 2020) from home and this was the worst time, the worst moment. I was struggling so hard, I almost couldn’t make it up the stairs all day long. I went downstairs once and then sat on the couch all day. 
“It was so hard, I couldn’t do anything. I was in so much pain. I watched the Olympics and that was what kept me sane. All the emotions gave me so much and I was thinking maybe I can make it back in time. I (thought) I really hope this illness ends and I can make it back in time to be at the Olympics again myself. 
“It’s just way too beautiful that it all worked out.” 

It’s tough when 0.03 seconds is the difference between becoming an Olympic medallist or not. Unfortunately, that was the case today for Austria’s Tamara Tippler. Throughout the World Cup season, Tippler has been having some solid performances, placing twice on the Super G podium in her last two races. Nonetheless, the hundredths of a second weren’t on Tippler’s side today.

On finishing fourth:
“Heartbroken. It’s very hard for me yet, but I’m also happy for Miri (silver medallist Mirjam Puchner (AUT)). That was a cool race.
“Many favourites have problems with the slope. On one hand I was on the medal, but the last part I lost it. That’s skiing. Sometimes you’re the winner, and sometimes you’re not.
“It’s the Olympics and it only counts one, two, three. If you’re so close, it’s very hard. I don’t know what I should say now, because my skiing is good.”

On teammate Puchner:
“It’s awesome. We have the same service guy. Sometimes I’m some hundredths (of a second) before or behind, we are so close every time. It’s really funny. Today is her day, so I think it’s important to celebrate with her because when I am on the podium I also want to celebrate with the girls.”

On the rest of the season:
“I’m really prepared for racing. That’s racing, sometimes you are so close, and nothing. You count nothing today, but for a world cup race it’s really good. There are some more races to come the next weeks, so heads up and let’s go.”

Reigning Olympic Super G champion, Ester Ledecka (CZE) didn’t manage to secure a double discipline win today. In 2018, Ledecka claimed gold in both the women’s alpine Super G and also in the women’s snowboard PGS. During these Olympics, Ledecka has already won the women’s snowboard PGS so was just missing today’s Super G victory to complete the double again.

On finishing fifth, after winning gold in snowboard parallel giant slalom earlier in the week:
“I think I had a good run. It was a solid run. I had a lot of fun, so that’s also important for me.
“I was doing my best, I still feel a little bit like a snowboarder, but I am very grateful for my team because they did an amazing job today. They did an amazing job in these past days to prepare me for the race in such a short time after snowboard.
“I’m very happy about today, and it was fun.”

On whether she had found her skiing legs:
“I’m not sure if they are completely back. I was doing my best. The problem for me is a little bit the vision. I am a little bit rounder on snowboard with my line, you have to be a little more round.
“It was close, so we didn’t have that much time, but it was also great that it wasn’t the same day so I could compete (in both events).”

On Mikaela Shiffrin (USA):
“She’s one of the greatest skiers of all time, and it doesn’t matter if she’s going to DNF (not finish) in two races. It doesn’t really matter; it’s not going to change anything for me. She’s one of the best skiers in the world so I’m very happy that I’m riding with her, and that I can ski with her, and that I can compete with her. It’s a great honour.”

On the other Alpine events she plans to do:
“I will do combined as well. I’m looking forward for the downhill, it’s a beautiful slope. I’m very happy that we were able to make some runs already on it.”

It has been a disappointing day for the Italian women’s speed time. With Federica Brignone, Elena Curtoni and Sofia Goggia occupying the top three places in the Super G World Cup standings, expectations were high going into the race. As Sofia Goggia was not racing today, hopes lied on Brignone and Curtoni, who eventually placed 7th and 10th respectively. Brignone had some thoughts to share after the race.

On finishing seventh:
“Nothing happened, I was just not the fastest today.
“I really ski at my full potential. I was not afraid, I was not afraid to make mistakes.
“I was really going and trying my best, it was just especially the super-G doesn’t present (anything) weird or any difficulties. In these conditions, I am not the best.
“I really tried today, I did almost my best performance, I think it was my best performance today. It was just not enough. Someone else was faster than me.”

On the course:
“When it’s really flat, like you see in Lake Louise, I am not on the podium.
“I’ve been getting better and better, but this slope is really flat. Yesterday, after the ski on slope, I was surprised. Even the setting was really elementary.
“I’m sorry, because I was expecting a lot. Italy was expecting a lot from this race. We are the top three of the classement (world cup standings).

The athletes will now prepare themselves for the downhill race taking place on the 15th of February. Racing is scheduled to take place at 11:00 local time / 04:00 CET.

Quotes courtesy of Olympic Information Service