This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Breezy Johnson won gold in the Olympic women's downhill on Sunday.
The 30-year-old was born in Teton County and raced alpine for the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club.
She was the sixth racer down the course in Italy, reaching speeds of over 70 miles per hour. She crossed the finish in 1:36.10, beating Germany’s Emma Aicher by just .04 seconds.
Her win is the first medal won by Team USA at this Olympics.
“I gave it my all. And today that was enough,” Johnson wrote in an Instagram post after the race. “I have held the moments of worst defeat and greatest triumph in the same place. To play the game is to lose, and lose, and then, maybe, on February 8th, to win.”
Johnson was set to race at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, but she tore her right knee a month before those games while training in Italy on the same slopes where she just won gold.
Johnson’s performance earned her a spot with U.S. team member Mikaela Shiffrin in the alpine skiing team combined event on Feb. 10. The event adds together the times of one downhill race and one slalom race, and is making its Olympic debut this year.
Johnson and Shiffrin won a world championship in the combined event last year.
On Thursday, Johnson is also set to race in the women’s super-G event.
