United by Beijing bronze fiasco, Maier and Smith celebrate skicross one-two at 2026 Winter Games

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Four years ago, after a convoluted medal dispute with race officials, freeskiers Daniela Maier and Fanny Smith both ended up the proud recipients of Olympic bronze medals.

Fast forward to Friday, and they were celebrating together from the top two spots on the podium after Maier won the women's skicross final right ahead Smith at the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

Friends and rivals, the two were at the center of a judging controversy during the 2022 skicross final in Beijing when Smith crossed the finish line third, ahead of Maier in fourth.

But the race jury flipped that result after deciding that Smith had interfered with Maier, despite protests both from Smith and Maier herself. Smith had to appeal the jury’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which eventually overruled the officials’ decision and deemed that bronze medals should be awarded to both skiers. Smith got her bronze a year later back in Switzerland.

Reflecting on the ordeal after Friday's medal ceremony, Maier said that she had supported Smith in that dispute, which ultimately drew them closer together.

“It’s so nice because yeah this story made us a good team,” Maier said. “And we (came) together and (became) good friends, we like to train with each other. So yeah, that we are both at the podium again is just a good story.”

The 2022 bronze medal dispute had led Smith to feel she had completely lost her “trust” in the freeski officials, she said before these Games.

Yet with the silver medal now around her neck, Smith said that she had moved on.

“It’s like a story which is behind me,” Smith said. “So today it’s just something that we could have really show an amazing and nice final. I think that’s what we need to keep.”

Maier, competing in her second Olympics, took an early lead in the four-woman race and protected her racing line to the bottom of the course in Livigno. She added her gold to a bronze from 2022.

“It’s crazy. I’m really speechless and overwhelmed and I think I need a few days to realize that I have a gold medal,” Maier said after the 29-year-old German reached the pinnacle of her career.

Smith, 33, added her silver to two bronzes from the past two Games.

Smith’s three medals in women’s skicross is an Olympic record. Marielle Thompson of Canada has two career medals — gold in 2014 and silver in 2022 — but was knocked out of Friday’s quarterfinals.

“It’s been like a crazy journey,” Smith said. “I know today was my fifth Olympic Games, my third Olympic medal. Yeah, (I'm the) only one in skicross (with three medals). I’m so proud about that, to just be so consistent.”

Defending champion Sandra Naeslund of Sweden collected the bronze after she had a slow start behind Maier and then let Smith pass her midway down the course of banks, rollers and jumps.

The final featured the top four women in the World Cup skicross points standings this season. Marielle Berger Sabbatel of France finished fourth.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics