Zoe Atkin eyes Milano-Cortina gold to beat sister’s Olympic bronze
Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin is targeting freeski halfpipe gold at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics as she looks to surpass the bronze medal won by her sister Izzy in 2018.
Redemption following Beijing struggles
The 23-year-old arrives in Livigno as the heavy favourite after qualifying in top spot for the halfpipe final.
Her longtime rival and defending champion, China’s Eileen Gu, could only manage fifth place in qualification.
It marks a significant turnaround for the Stanford student, who finished a disappointing ninth on her debut at Beijing 2022.
That experience was marred by travel chaos, with a delayed Covid test causing her to miss her initial flight to the Games.
“I didn’t know what to expect and I was very young,” Atkin recalled regarding her teenage debut.
“I had a lot of pressure on myself, a lot of expectations, and definitely didn’t perform the way I wanted to.”
“But with the Olympics it’s only once every four years. So it’s a little bit of a tough pill to swallow.”
World champion form
The reigning world champion enters the final in formidable form, having claimed X Games gold just weeks before the Olympics began.
Atkin believes she has now found a more “process-oriented mindset” compared to the anxiety of her teenage years.
“I think going into this Games, I’ve been a lot more established and confident,” she added.
Sibling rivalry drives success
Beyond personal redemption, the younger Atkin sibling is fueled by a desire to outdo her family’s achievements on the snow.
Her sister Izzy made history at Pyeongchang 2018 by winning bronze in the slopestyle, claiming Britain’s first-ever Olympic medal on skis.
“Definitely, we have a little bit of a sibling rivalry going on,” Zoe admitted.
“She was a really big role model for me growing up. There is also that competitiveness.”
Team GB’s historic haul
A victory for the halfpipe specialist would add to what has already been a record-breaking Games for Team GB.
The squad has secured three gold medals so far, smashing the previous best of one at a single Winter Olympics.
However, teammates Kirsty Muir and Mia Brookes have suffered agonising fourth-place finishes, adding pressure on the remaining medal hopefuls.
Alongside Atkin, the men’s curling squad are also guaranteed to bring home silverware, having already secured at least a silver medal.