Alpine skiing-Brignone, Shiffrin the golden greats after Vonn's comeback bid ended in agony

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 19 : Lindsey Vonn captured headlines before and during the Winter Games but fellow U.S. great Mikaela Shiffrin and home favourite Federica Brignone turned out to be the true comeback queens of the women's Alpine ski slopes.

Vonn, the 2010 downhill champion attempting to become the oldest Alpine Olympic medallist at 41 despite a serious knee injury, provided a compelling against-the-odds narrative with her unquenchable spirit and determination.

Her agonising crash in the downhill, the first race on the schedule, eclipsed compatriot Breezy Johnson's gold medal as Vonn's screams were broadcast around the world and she was winched off the mountain to hospital.

Johnson's achievement set a tone nonetheless, with the 30-year-old adding the Olympic title to the world gold she won last year yet still something of an underdog given that she has never won a World Cup race and had appeared only once on the podium this season.

She seized her moment, and so too did the champions that followed.

HOLLYWOOD FEEL-GOOD STORY

Brignone's success had all the ingredients for a Hollywood feel-good story - the 35-year-old on top of the world when it all came crashing down last April with a multiple leg fracture leaving many questioning whether she would race again.

The giant slalom world champion fought her way back and then produced a near-miracle.

Brignone, who had said she just wanted to take part in a home Games, dominated the super-G and beat France's Romane Miradoli by 0.41 of a second.

"I told myself that it was a "make it or break it", but I never thought I would win," she said.

That might have been time for the final credits of the movie but then she did it again, completing a golden double in the giant slalom.

"I