Perrine Laffont has won bronze in the women's moguls at Milano Cortina 2026, exactly eight years after her Olympic gold in PyeongChang.
The French freestyle skier secured her third Olympic medal in a dramatic final that saw the Australian favourite falter on her last run. Laffont's journey to this podium was anything but straightforward - just two months before the Games, her participation was uncertain due to injury.
"Two months ago, we didn't know where I was going, we didn't know if I would be able to ski and participate in these Games," Laffont revealed in an emotional post-race interview. The 26-year-old credited her medical staff and support team, including rugby club Stade Toulousain, for helping her return to competition in time.
A Tense Final and Unexpected Bronze
The moguls final proved to be an emotional rollercoaster for Laffont, who had spent four years working towards this moment. "It was a really difficult race with a lot of pressure," she admitted. "You want it, but at the same time, it's scary too. There's the pressure, there's the adrenaline."
As the final unfolded, Laffont found herself in fourth position with one skier remaining - Australia's consistent performer who had been "in robot mode since the start of the competition." The French skier had already resigned herself to missing the podium. "I wasn't even watching. I was already thinking I'm going to finish fourth. It's cool, but that's it," she said.
Then came the dramatic twist. When the Australian crashed out, the crowd erupted. "When everyone started screaming because she went out, I realized I was a medallist. I have another Olympic medal. It was just incredible," Laffont recalled. She described those final seconds as "the longest of my entire life."
Eight Years of Work Rewarded
For Laffont, this bronze carries special significance beyond its place value. "It represents eight years of hard work, eight years where every winter we didn't let up," she explained. Even during a break from competition, she continued training and skiing, maintaining her elite level.
The medal also represents thousands of hours of training - not just her own effort, but that of her entire support team. From her comeback from injury to the nerve-wracking final, this Olympic campaign tested Laffont's resilience in ways her previous Games had not.
The PyeongChang 2018 champion, who also won silver in Beijing 2022, now turns her attention to the moguls dual event, a new Olympic discipline making its debut at these Games. The finals take place on Saturday, giving Laffont another opportunity to add to her medal collection.
