Sofia Goggia, the Italian alpine skiing star, made a triumphant return after a 10-month absence by winning the Super G at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on Sunday. Her victory came on the heels of a second-place finish in Saturday’s downhill, proving that her recovery from a fractured tibia and ankle suffered in February was a success.
Goggia made it clear why she is considered one of today’s top female skiers. In the Super G, she clocked a time of 1:03.90, beating Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami by almost half a second. At the end of her run, the Italian celebrated with an impromptu dance in the finish area, driving the spectators wild.
A HEROIC COMEBACK FROM INJURY
The 2024 season began with doubts about how Goggia would adapt after her injury, but she quickly dispelled them. “When I’m at the starting gate, I don’t think about injury or fear,” she told FIS. Her comeback was not easy knowing that she has not long ago undergone two surgeries and intense rehabilitation, but her champion mentality allowed her to shine again.
In Saturday’s downhill, Goggia secured a second-place finish, just 0.16 seconds behind Austria’s Cornelia Huetter. Despite this, she claimed to have competed at “80% of her potential”, hinting that she had much more to offer in the following day’s Super G.
GOGGIA’S TRACK RECORD
Sofia Goggia, 32, amasses an impressive palmarès in alpine skiing. Among her most notable achievements are her Olympic gold in the downhill at PyeongChang 2018 and her silver at Beijing 2022, in addition to multiple World Cup titles. She has also won three Crystal Globes in downhill (2018, 2021 and 2022).
Her skill and passion have made her a skiing benchmark, and her constant comebacks from injury have demonstrated her mental and physical strength. With this win in Beaver Creek, Goggia makes it clear that she is ready to compete at the highest level this season.
DANCING WITHOUT BEING “BRAZILIAN”
Born in Bergamo, Italy, Goggia has always been proud of her roots. Off the track, she is known for her charisma and sense of humor, as she demonstrated when she joked about her dancing skills at the finish line, saying, “I’m not Brazilian, I’m Italian, and in Bergamo we are famous for polenta.”
In addition to her sporting career, Goggia is an ambassador for various social causes and has spoken openly about the importance of resilience in the face of challenges, both in sport and in life. With this spectacular comeback, Sofia Goggia not only reaffirms her position as one of the great figures of alpine skiing, but of world sport.
