Alpine skiing-Fearless Brignone takes super-G gold in epic comeback win

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 12 : Italy's Federica Brignone sealed an astonishing comeback from career-threatening injury to win the women's Alpine skiing super-G gold on home snow in a feel-good story at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Thursday.

Known as the "Tiger" for her ferocious determination, the 35-year-old had looked doubtful for the Games after a crash last April but fought back to fitness and produced one of her greatest runs on a foggy Olimpia delle Tofane piste.

France's Romane Miradoli took silver, 0.41 of a second slower, with Austria's Cornelia Huetter third.

"I told myself that it was a "make it or break it", but I never thought I would win," Brignone said after winning her first Olympic gold medal at her third Games. "Something special, I would never have imagined it in life."

Before the ceremony her incredible feat was celebrated with a fly past by the Italian Air Force's Frecce Tricolori trailing the colours of the national flag as Brignone stepped on to the podium.

Sixth out of the start hut, Brignone threw caution to the wind on a challenging course that perfectly suited her technical skills. It proved too tough, however, for some of her rivals including American downhill champion Breezy Johnson who walked away from a high-speed crash into the netting.

Giant slalom world champion Brignone was accompanied by huge roars from the packed grandstand as she blasted across the finish line 1:23.41 before taking her place in the leaders' seat and waiting.

Ten of the first 24 starters failed to finish including Brignone's teammate Sofia Goggia, although for a while it looked as though Huetter and then Miradoli might rip up the script.

Brignone puffed out her cheeks as they narrowly failed to beat her time and after