Kirsty Muir narrowly missed her first Winter Olympic medal, finishing fourth in the women’s Big Air final at Livigno Snow Park on March 10, 2024. The Scottish athlete was outperformed by Italy’s Flora Tabanelli, who secured bronze, while Canada’s Megan Oldham clinched gold. Despite her disappointment, Muir expressed pride in her performance, particularly after recovering from a serious ACL injury that sidelined her for much of the previous season.
The competition saw strong winds and blizzard conditions that delayed the final. Muir’s hopes for a podium finish were boosted by the withdrawal of Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud, who had won the slopestyle event but was forced to withdraw after a training accident. Muir opened the day in sixth place but made a significant leap by landing a massive 1620 on her second jump, which scored 93.0—one of the highest of the competition.
In an intense final round, Muir attempted to reclaim her spot among the top three with a new trick. “I knew I really had to go for it,” she said. “I went for the 1620 again, but I wanted to get a tail-grab in there, and that was the thing I knew would give me the best chance of getting on to the podium.” Unfortunately, she fell upon landing, solidifying Oldham’s victory and leaving Muir just shy of a medal.
Muir’s emotional response following the event reflected her mixed feelings. She had also placed fourth in the women’s slopestyle final just one week earlier, making this her second near-miss of the Games. “I’m really stoked that I went for it,” she added, highlighting the importance of pushing herself in high-stakes situations.
The final included world-renowned athletes, with Eileen Gu, the highest-paid sportswoman outside of tennis, also in contention. Gu, who had been embroiled in a dispute with the International Ski Federation regarding training time, moved up in standings with her impressive jumps. Ultimately, Tabanelli’s score of 94.25 on her final attempt forced Muir to take risks that led to her fall.
Muir’s journey to the Olympics has been remarkable. Just over a year after returning to competition, she won silver at the prestigious Aspen X Games in February 2024. “I just have to take that with me and appreciate that,” she stated, reflecting on her progress. “This is the highest level of competition, and I’m stoked to be a part of a competition where the girls are absolutely killing it and we’re really pushing the sport.”
Despite the heartache of another fourth-place finish, Muir’s resilience shines through as she continues to compete at a high level and raises the profile of women in snow sports.
