American Breezy Johnson won gold in the women’s downhill Saturday at the alpine skiing world championships, the biggest result of the 29-year-old former Olympian’s career.
Johnson, who was the first skier on the course Saturday, posted a time of 1:41.29, then sat in the leader’s chair and watched 32 other skiers fall short of that mark for her first victory on a major stage. She’s a seven-time podium finisher in downhill on the World Cup tour, has made four world championship appearances and was an Olympian in 2018, but Johnson had never won a race at any of those events before Saturday.
Austria’s Mirjam Puchner took second, 0.15 seconds behind Johnson. Czechia’s Ester Ledecka was third, 0.21 back.
U.S. teammate Lauren Macuga — who took the bronze in super-G at worlds on Thursday — had another strong run to finish fifth. Lindsey Vonn, the 82-time World Cup winner returning to the sport at age 40, finished 15th after skiing out in the super-G.
Italy’s Federica Brignone, the top downhill skier on the World Cup tour so far this year, finished 10th. Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami fell and did not finish.
🥇🇺🇸 Breezy Johnson runs the Downhill of her life to clinch title!@saalbach2025#fisalpine | #saalbach2025 | #skiverrückt | #wintersport
