Michaela Gosselin wins historic bronze in Cortina

CORTINA, Italy – It was misty at the top of the course and even mistier at the bottom after Michaela Gosselin of Collingwood, Ont., won the bronze medal in the women’s standing slalom on Saturday at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

The Para alpine skier earned her first career Paralympic medal after competing in nine races across two Games.  It will be etched in eternity as the 200^th medal overall for Canada in Winter Games history.

‘’I’m beyond words right now, this is a dream come true,’’ said Gosselin, not fighting back her obvious tears. ‘’I’m so happy.  I’m so excited to go give my Mom a hug. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without family support. The fact they watched me win this medal is incredible.’’

In addition, it was Gosselin’s last race of these Games and it went down to the final contender before she could savour the greatest moment of her career.

It was well worth the wait for the 25-year-old Gosselin diagnosed with cancer at 18, which resulted in a scapulectomy of her left shoulder. She skis with one pole.

‘’You just have to take it one day at a time at these Games,’’ she said. ‘’Five events is mentally and physically taxing. I saved it all for the end. I had nothing to lose, and I gave it my all.’’

On Saturday with low clouds and light rain hanging over the Dolomites mountain tops, Gosselin posted the third fastest time in her opening run and fifth fastest on the second run to stand second overall.

Russian Varvara Voronchikhina delivered the gold medal run after Gosselin then, like in a Hollywood script, the drama unfolded.

Sweden’s Ebba Aarsjoe, with three gold so far and the first run leader, struggled on her second run eventually straddling a gate for a DNF (did not finish). Voronchikhina took the gold, Zhu Wenjing of China the silver and Gosselin the historic bronze.

‘’When I crossed the finish line I thought I blew it,’’ Gosselin said. ‘’I tried so hard but I thought I was going to be fourth again like in Beijing. I felt at the time I gave it my all but it wouldn’t be enough.

‘’I’m sorry for Ebba, she skied so well but that’s part of the sport.’’

Florence Carrier of Magog, Que., at her first Games, was 11^th.

Before this season, Gosselin went through a challenging stretch marked by significant injuries, including a torn knee in 2022 and ongoing hip issues.  Last season was her first full season back from the knee injury.

She concluded the 2025-26 World Cup ranking third for the season in the women’s overall and women’s standing downhill.

She recorded 13 top-five finishes this season on the circuit, five top five in the downhill, including a bronze in December 2025 at the Santa Caterina, Italy stop.

Also, the 2025-26 off season was her first injury-free summer in four years which allowed her to focus on building strength rather than rehabilitation.

In Cortina, she kicked off the Games with a fifth in the downhill, seventh in the combined, eighth in the giant slalom and ninth in the Super G.

On Saturday, the long and winding road led her to the podium.