Canadian freestyle skier Megan Oldham, a tiny and cute-looking athlete with a bright smile, has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. J.F. Cusson, her coach, describes her as 'Mighty Meg', a fitting title for her impressive performance at the Olympic Games. Oldham, 24, from Parry Sound, Ontario, has claimed her second Olympic medal, a gold in women's big air at Livigno Snow Park, after a 75-minute weather delay. She previously won bronze in slopestyle, recovering from a heavy crash on her second run. Oldham's dominance in the big air competition was evident, leading after the first two runs and securing gold with her third run. Her combined score of 180.75, including a 91.75 on her first run, was the highest of the night. Chinese star Eileen Gu took silver with 179.00, and Italy's Flora Tabanelli earned bronze with 178.25. Britain's Kirsty Muir and Naomi Urness of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, finished fourth and sixth, respectively. Oldham's success brings Canada's total medals to 11, with two golds. Oldham's journey to the Olympics has been challenging, marked by a concussion during training in November, which she doesn't remember due to amnesia. She spent four weeks recovering at home, feeling the pressure as the Games approached. Despite the setback, she returned to skiing after a month and a half, battling mental challenges. These Games have been a redemption story for Oldham, who missed the big air podium in Beijing by one place and the slopestyle final by one spot. She is determined to change her fate, and her performance has been a testament to her resilience. The big air competition is a daring event, requiring athletes to build speed on a 55-metre jump, accelerating down a 40-degree incline, and launching tricks from a five-metre kicker. Judges evaluate difficulty, execution, amplitude, and landing. The 170-metre structure has been demanding, as evidenced by Mathilde Gremaud's hip injury during training and Anouk Andraska's wrist injury, both of which forced them to withdraw from the final. Oldham, a former gymnast and figure skater, got into freestyle skiing through her brothers, recalling a daring rooftop skiing adventure. Despite her pain after the slopestyle crash, she pushed through, determined to showcase her skiing skills. Oldham's gold medal is a testament to her perseverance and talent, leaving her with two of Canada's 11 medals at the Games.
