Fanny Smith wins Olympic silver medal in Livigno ski cross. Gold was won by Daniela Meyer from Germany, and bronze was won by Sandra Neslund from Sweden. The top three from this season will be on the podium.
The four finalists competed closely on Livigno’s long and tiring course. Naslund, the Beijing Olympic champion, took the lead initially but was unable to maintain the pace to the finish. She lost momentum with repeated waves and fell back to third place.
Meanwhile, Fannie Smith moved forward and once again approached Meyer, but was unable to find any openings for a decisive attack. The trio were close at the finish, with France’s Mariel Berger Sabatel the only one not in contention for a medal.
third medal
This is the 33-year-old from Vaud’s third medal in his fifth Olympic appearance. She won bronze medals in Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022. Four years ago, she only shared the bronze medal with Mayer after a long back and forth, but now they are on the podium together, this time winning gold and silver.
Fannie Smith, the 2013 and 2025 world champion, was suffering from back muscle inflammation in the lead-up to the event and had recently given up World Cup racing to conserve energy. Her risk paid off in Livigno.
Daniela Meyer, 29, known as the “Sunshine of the Black Forest” because she always shows up with a smile, made the most of the opportunity. He got off to a good start, maintained a high pace on the flat sections, and bravely defended the line.
I just missed the finals.
Talina Gantenbein missed out on advancing to the finals due to a photo finish. The player from Graubünden was overtaken by Berger Sabater in the semi-finals and took fifth place in the small final. Sixteen Cousin placed 7th. Saskja Rak and Canada’s Mariel Thompson were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
The long course placed a noticeable strain on the athletes’ legs. The overall pace remained low and every wave required aggressive acceleration. On Saturday, medals will be decided between the men at the same venue.