Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy — American downhill ski champion Breezy Johnson, already the owner of one gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, crashed out of the women’s Super-G race in Italy on Thursday. Her right pole caught the gate shortly after exiting the track speed building chute and she lost her balance, ending up in the catch fence.

After the collision, she managed to stand on her feet.

Johnson won the gold in the women’s downhill on Saturday — her first medal of the 2026 Games and first for Team USA overall. Her medal then snapped, separating from the ribbon as she celebrated. Johnson Seth Doane told CBS News she took special care with her replacement medal while her original one was being repaired – and intended to knit a special pouch to keep her medal safe once it was returned.

Italian skier Federica Brignone won the race, completing her long, painful climb back to the top of the sport. The 35-year-old won the first Olympic gold medal of her storied career on Thursday, less than a year after breaking multiple bones in her left leg, which resulted in two surgeries and months of rehabilitation.

Brignone crossed the demanding technical track of Trofane in 1:23.41 minutes to win.

Johnson was hardly the only one to get into trouble. Italy’s Sofia Goggia is currently on top of her World Cup super-G season, along with 2018 Olympic gold medalist Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic and American Mary Bocock, who entered the race after the American star Lindsey Vonn seriously injured her left leg in the descent on Sunday, not everyone could descend safely.

Racing in foggy conditions in flat light that can make it difficult to navigate the nuances of the course, and with IOC president Kirsty Coventry and Italian president Sergio Mattarello close to the finish line below, Brignone raised her poles in triumph after crossing the line.

Brignone’s victory made her the oldest female alpine gold medalist. The gold is also her fourth Olympic medal. Brignone won silver in the super-G and bronze in the team competition in Beijing four years ago. She also won bronze in the super-Gu at Pyeongchang 2018. Brignone’s four medals under hoops now match Deborah Compagnoni for most by an Italian female skier.

Brignone was one of four Italian flag bearers during the opening ceremony. At one point, still troubled by pain in her left leg nearly 10 months after the terrifying crash in Val di Fassi, Brignone asked curler Amos Mosaner to carry it on her shoulders. Mosaner complied, leaving Brignone free to wave the flag.

The familiar combination of red, white and green was visible across a wide array of stands on Thursday as Brignone finished, as the crowd, buoyed by the host nation’s early success at the 2026 Games, roared their approval.

“Congrats Fede,” Vonn tweeted from the hospital where she is recovering from the accident. “What an amazing comeback!!”