In an extraordinary repeat of their Beijing 2022 showdown, Swiss skier Mathilde Gremaud successfully defended her Olympic title in the women’s freeski slopestyle final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games on Monday, February 9, narrowly defeating China’s Eileen Gu in a breathtakingly close contest.
The victory marks Gremaud’s second consecutive Olympic gold in the event, solidifying her status as a dominant force in the sport.
The pair’s riveting rivalry continued as the margin of victory proved minuscule once again, with Gremaud’s winning score of 86.96 edging out Gu’s 86.58 by a mere 0.38 points. Canada’s Megan Oldham secured the bronze medal with a score of 76.46.
The dramatic final unfolded with Gu setting a formidable benchmark on her first run, posting the score of 86.58 that would ultimately secure her silver.
Under immediate pressure, Gremaud responded magnificently on her second run, delivering a technically superb and stylish performance down the Livigno course to post the 86.96 that would clinch the gold.
Gu had one final attempt to reclaim the top spot on her last run, but her hopes were dashed early when she skidded off the first rail feature and fell.
Watching from the finish area, Gremaud knew then that the title was hers for a second time. She immediately wrapped a Swiss flag around her shoulders like a cape and embarked on a celebratory victory lap down the mountain.
The thrilling duel was a direct continuation of their Olympic history; at the Beijing 2022 Games, Gremaud had also beaten Gu for slopestyle gold, that time by an even narrower 0.33 points.
The 26-year-old Swiss champion is no stranger to making history. In 2023, she became the first freestyle skier ever to simultaneously hold both the slopestyle World Champion and Olympic Champion titles.
She is also an eight-time X Games medalist and, in 2020, made history as the first woman to land a switch double cork 1440 in competition. With this second Olympic gold, Gremaud has reaffirmed her position at the pinnacle of freeskiing.
The silver medalist, Eileen Gu, who became a global superstar with three medals at her home Beijing Games, will now turn her focus to defending her Olympic titles in big air and halfpipe later in the Milano Cortina program.