History-maker Brignone completes Olympic fairy tale as Shiffrin's medal misery continues / Photo: Tiziana FABI - AFP
-
Lanier clinches badminton world title in France's golden double
-
Humanoids break records at Beijing Robot Games
-
After Wildberries, Ukraine launches drone campaign on Russia's Ozon
-
Zelensky rejects rival's call for vote, says would 'split' Ukraine
-
Padikkal, Gill half-centuries take India to 187-3 at tea
-
Zelensky rejects wartime elections, says would 'split' Ukraine
-
Cummins hails 'sharp' Australia as they get back to winning ways
-
'Keep up the spirit': Indonesian teenage 'Superman' joins wildfire fight
-
Bangladesh eye more Australia Tests to hit next level
-
Starc bags 10 as Australia thrash Bangladesh in second Test
-
Thousands expected at Sweden climate demo as election looms
-
Starc heroics see Australia thrash Bangladesh in second Test
-
Starc heroics put Australia on brink of victory over Bangladesh
-
Pegula dethrones Swiatek to book Cincy final against Gauff
-
Austrian mountain town finds niche in AI boom
-
South Korean survivor fights for workplace harassment 'justice'
-
Messi scores but Miami slump continues with loss to Toronto
-
Starc strikes as Bangladesh struggle to stay alive in 2nd Test
-
Sydney marathon unveils medal with wrong stadium
-
Prince Harry: royal misfit making unlikely UK return
-
Macron hosts Saudi's MBS for visit ranging from esports to Mideast
-
Blowing in the wind, humble balloon gets green makeover
-
Australia in control with 146-run first innings lead over Bangladesh
-
Pegula dethrones Swiatek to reach Cincinnati final
-
World No. 3 Pegula beats defending champ Swiatek to reach Cincy final
-
IndyCars zip among iconic Washington landmarks ahead of Freedom 250
-
Wyndham Clark surges clear at BMW Championship
-
Real Madrid snatch late win at Espanyol on Mourinho's return
-
Maresca says Man City must fill Rodri void after Barca switch
-
Real Madrid beat Espanyol in Mourinho's first game on return
-
Canada retaliates as trade war with US escalates
-
Olise helps Bayern past Dortmund in German Supercup
-
Fils dominates Cobolli to book Cincinnati final
-
Coach Rennie hails clinical All Blacks after Springboks Test win
-
Spurs lacked fight in dismal defeat at Brentford says De Zerbi
-
Charlton deliver blow to 'under pressure' Hammers boss Nuno
-
Inter thrash Monza to launch Serie A title defence
-
Carrick keeps calm despite Man Utd misery, big-spending Spurs crushed
-
Shambolic Spurs battered by Brentford
-
Canada's Carney stands up to Trump, despite risks
-
Pogacar wins Vuelta a Espana opening stage
-
Lens hammer Auxerre thanks to Thauvin penalty double
-
Clinical New Zealand shock wasteful South Africa in first Test
-
No singles for Serena, but she joins Alcaraz for US Open
-
Canada hits back with new tariffs after trade talks with US fail
-
Joao Pedro extends Chelsea stay with new long-term deal
-
Swedish police identify 17-year-old girl as victim in school sword attack
-
Yamaguchi to face An in hunt for fourth badminton world crown
-
Carrick keeps calm despite Man Utd misery, Sage beaten in first game as Palace boss
-
Norris clinches pole for Dutch GP
History-maker Brignone completes Olympic fairy tale as Shiffrin's medal misery continues
Federica Brignone completed a Winter Olympic fairy tale on Sunday after claiming her second gold of the Milan-Cortina Games, as out-of-sorts Mikaela Shiffrin again missed out on the medals.
Italian veteran Brignone started her home Olympics by being one of her country's flag bearers for the opening ceremony, and she made history on the piste by becoming the first Italian woman skier to win gold in two events at the same Games.
The 35-year-old was already the new super-G champion and her achievements in Cortina d'Ampezzo are all the more remarkable for her having barely recovered from a broken leg suffered 10 months ago.
She delivered two super smooth runs in the giant slalom to finish 0.62sec ahead of joint silver medallists Sara Hector of Sweden and Norway's Thea Louise Stjernesund to become Olympic and world champion in her favoured discipline.
"I'm so without words that I don't really know what's going on," said an elated Brignone.
"Today I just felt so calm, maybe even too calm before the first run, and even in the second one I thought 'how come (she felt this good)?'.
"When I crossed the line all I heard was cheering and I just had no idea what was going on."
Brignone's combined time of 2min 13.50sec gave Italy its 20th medal of this year's Games, equalling the host nation's best-ever haul at a Winter Olympics set in Lillehammer in 1994.
Her triumph came on a course which for the second run was set by Shiffrin's coach Karin Harjo, who pitched a slower, turn-heavy course in the hope of favouring her star charge.
But Shiffrin, who has an all-time women's record of 22 giant slalom wins on the World Cup circuit, was again below par, seventh in the first run and 13th in the second to place 11th overall.
The 30-year-old now only has Wednesday's slalom -- her specialist discipline -- in which she can bid to end her eight-year Olympic medal drought.
Shiffrin left the 2022 Beijing Games without a single medal from six races, failing to even finish in three, but in the intervening years has established herself as the greatest of all time with a record 108 wins on the World Cup circuit.
Her last Olympic medal came with victory in the giant slalom during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
T.Ibrahim--SF-PST
