Federica Brignone, the 35-year-old Italian skier, won gold in the Olympic giant slalom at the Milano Cortina Games, adding to her super-G title on home snow. Following a 10-month recovery from a severe injury, she stated she will no longer endure the intense sacrifices that enabled her comeback. Brignone expressed a desire for calm and normalcy after the demanding journey.
In Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on February 16, Federica Brignone secured Olympic gold in the giant slalom event at the Milano Cortina Games. This victory complemented her earlier super-G gold, both achieved on Italian soil. The 35-year-old athlete spoke at a press conference the following Monday about the toll of her recovery.
Brignone's path to these medals involved a grueling 10-month rehabilitation after a crash in April that resulted in displaced fractures in her left leg and a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The period included surgery, pain management, and relentless strength-building efforts. "I worked around the clock to be able to be on the track and be competitive, so I want to work yes like the other years, but not in such an exhausting way," she said.
She indicated a shift away from extreme commitments, including avoiding performance-enhancing measures. "Surely I’m not willing anymore to, I mean, I’ve never taken many, but to take drugs to (be able to) ski...," Brignone remarked.
The achievements, rather than bringing relief, have introduced chaos into her life. "I don’t think it creates emptiness for me but it creates way too much chaos," she explained. "I’m almost scared because at this moment of my career I don’t have so much desire for it, I must admit."
Looking ahead, Brignone seeks balance. After 10 months of intensity, she desires calm and everyday activities. "I would like, after 10 months like this, not a break, but the only thing I want is to be a bit calm and do again a bit my things, the things I like," she said. She plans to continue the season as a form of protection while contemplating future risks. "At this moment the idea of continuing the season is my shield for all the rest that I don’t want to face and so probably I will try to continue the season and to protect myself with the races," Brignone noted.
She emphasized preserving her ordinary life despite the success. "I don’t want to change my behaviour, I want to go have coffee with my friends in the same place and go have dinner at my home," she added. "My dream at this moment is to have and to continue to have my life. My life - meaning not to change my life."
