American skier Sigourney wins bronze in halfpipe
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – After season-ending injuries the two seasons going into the Sochi Winter Olympics, freeskier Brita Sigourney was just happy to be there.
Her sport made its debut, and the halfpipe skier was glad to get to compete.
But Pyeongchang was different. The
28-year-old had put her body through the ringer, enduring seven surgeries and countless hours in physical therapy for the sport that she loves. She wanted more here, and she got it.
Sigourney claimed bronze in the Olympic final at Phoenix Snow Park and was the only American to get on the podium.
“At my first Olympics, I just didn’t know what to expect and I was so happy to be there, but this time I really wanted it,” she said. “To see me pull it off, I’m still in shock. I didn’t know that I could do that. Just to see myself compete under that pressure and pull it off, I’m so relieved.”
Canadian Cassie Sharpe, the top qualifier, won gold with a score of 95.80, and France’s Marie Martinod claimed silver again, this time with a score of
92.60.
Sigourney bumped U.S. teammate Annalisa Drew with her third run, scoring a 91.60 to get on the podium.
American Maddie Bowman, the gold medalist in Sochi, finished last after falling on the final hit of all three of her runs.
All three U.S. skiers in the final celebrated Sigourney’s medal, one that came in an accomplished but injuryplagued career.
Sigourney has four X Games medals, including silver last month.
But she’s had three knee surgeries, two shoulder surgeries, one thumb surgery and one ankle surgery just to stay in the sport.
“I feel like I’ve overcome so much, and it definitely helps to have an Olympic medal to prove everything I’ve overcome was worth it and all those surgeries were worth it,” she said, “and it was worth it to keep fighting and all that rehab and physical therapy I’ve done was worth it.”
Sigourney put down a final run that included a 900, a 720 and plenty of amplitude. That’s one of her biggest strengths, and she said she tried to play to that in her run here.
That run bumped Drew, who just before Sigourney dropped in had put down a run that scored 90.80 and was on the podium.
“I knew she had it as soon as she dropped in,” Drew said. “I know Brita. I just knew. I wasn’t, when I got put into third, it was more of a, that’s nice, kind of thing, not yay! I wasn’t gonna celebrate too early.”
Ultimately, they would. The U.S. skiers are close friends, and their families celebrated Sigourney’s medal at the base of the halfpipe.
After all she’d endured in her career, she was finally an Olympic medalist.
“I’m so excited for Brita,” Bowman said. “She’s worked so hard for this and has wanted it so bad. I’ve watched her through the ups and downs, and it’s just, it’s awesome to watch her walk away with a medal.”