Ester Ledecka, the Winter Olympics’ sole female athlete to secure gold in two distinct sports concurrently, has faced a challenging decision leading up to the Milan-Cortina Games. The standout Czech competitor has opted to forgo the alpine downhill competition in favor of pursuing a third consecutive Olympic gold in snowboarding’s giant slalom due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict. As both events are slated for the same day, it is impossible for her to partake in both competitions.
Despite lodging an unsuccessful appeal to the International Olympic Committee with the support of Johan Eliasch, the head of skiing’s governing body FIS, Ledecka remains resolute in her decision. Expressing her emotions on the matter, she mentioned that although she shed tears over the situation, she believes they have made every effort possible. Ledecka, who is the only athlete to qualify for the event in two sports for the third time, had hoped that her unique circumstance would be taken into consideration.
The snowboarding’s parallel giant slalom final is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Livigno, Italy, on February 8, while the women’s downhill event is set to occur in Cortina at 11:30 a.m. on the same day. With the venues being about a four-hour drive apart, the logistical challenge of participating in both events becomes insurmountable.
Jiří Kejval, the head of the Czech Olympic Committee, expressed regret over the situation, stating that while they are sorry for the inconvenience, they have maximized their efforts given the circumstances.
In the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Ledecka was the only female athlete to qualify for both alpine skiing and snowboarding. She achieved a remarkable feat by winning gold in the super-G and the parallel giant slalom events. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, she successfully defended her snowboarding gold title and secured fifth place in the super-G, 27th in the downhill, and fourth in the alpine combined disciplines. Additionally, at this year’s alpine skiing world championships, she clinched a bronze medal in the downhill event.
Looking ahead, the women’s super-G event at next year’s Olympics is scheduled for February 12, allowing Ledecka the opportunity to participate.
