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American skier Breezy Johnson informed CBS Information she’s been treating her substitute gold medal with care after the unique, which she received within the ladies’s downhill occasion on the 2026 Winter Video games in Italy on Saturday, broke.
“I believe that as a result of they have been so heavy, the ribbons could not actually maintain them,” Johnson mentioned, calling it “a little bit disappointing” that Olympic medal winners needed to be cautious about celebrating too enthusiastically, because it’s “all anyone desires to do.”
Johnson mentioned she was initially informed she would not get her authentic medal again, however it has been mounted, and he or she plans to maintain it and commerce within the substitute. She additionally plans to knit a particular pouch to maintain it protected.
“I’m an avid knitter,” Johnson informed CBS Information correspondent Seth Doane on Wednesday. “I knit a brand new hat or headband for each race. It is a huge superstition of mine.”
She solely wears her particular handknit race equipment as soon as, for his or her respective race, after which they’re retired.
“They’re piling up in my baggage, however I have been wanting for a very long time to, like, public sale a few of them off and, like, have folks purchase them and donate the proceeds to charity,” she mentioned. “I haven’t got anything to do with them.”
Andy Wong / AP 
Requested about her views on representing the US, given political debate across the Video games, Johnson declined to go down that slope.
“There’s been lots of rhetoric. I personally want to deal with my snowboarding. I personally do not know anyone who has modified their political affiliation due to one thing that any superstar or individual mentioned. So, I personally want to deal with my snowboarding and donate the cash that I make to charities that I really feel are literally doing the work that I assist.”
Regardless of profitable the primary gold medal for Crew USA in Italy, the Milano-Cortina Winter Video games have not been a complete success story for Johnson.
She didn’t make the rostrum after snowboarding with teammate Mikaela Shiffrin within the crew slalom occasion Tuesday. After the race, Johnson could possibly be seen talking with Shiffrin, delivering what seemed like a pep discuss.
“I mentioned, ‘I do know you tried your finest and it is gonna be OK,'” Johnson informed CBS Information of the personal chat. “I do not, like, maintain any of that in opposition to anybody as a result of I do know this sport. There’s so many variables, and there have been variables yesterday, too. They weren’t essentially in our favor, and we went out and we each gave it our all, and it did not occur, however that is OK.”
Johnson mentioned she’s typically fairly good at dealing with the stress of competing on the highest degree of her sport — and he or she understands that such competitors, and such excessive speeds, include excessive hazard.
After Crew USA’s Lindsay Vonn was injured in a fall within the downhill race Saturday, which Johnson went on to win, she mentioned her 41-year-old world champion teammate texted her.
“She mentioned, ‘congratulations,'” Johnson mentioned. “You realize, I do know what she’s going by means of is difficult, and I believe she’s coping with so much. So, we’ve not spoken, like, on the telephone or something, however I want her the most effective.”
Johnson mentioned she additionally understands what drove Vonn to compete in these Video games only a week after rupturing her ACL.
“A part of what breaks your coronary heart is that you just’re used to defying the chances. You are used to writing fairytale endings. And the fact is that these issues get made into motion pictures as a result of they’re so unlikely. And sadly, you possibly can’t at all times — it isn’t at all times like the flicks,” she mentioned.
“It is obscure what strikes folks to do it, however whenever you’re doing it properly, it is a fairly unimaginable feeling,” Johnson mentioned, including that spectators can share within the rush: “It is System One on ice with big knives. Who does not need to watch that?”
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