Former Western Washington University student wins gold at 2026 Winter Olympics
A former Western Washington University student just won big in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Skier Breezy Johnson won Team USA’s gold medal of the 2026 Olympic Games on Sunday, Feb. 8, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
It’s the first time a Team USA athlete has taken gold in the women’s downhill ski event since 2010.
In a statement to The Bellingham Herald, Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa praised Johnson’s accomplishment.
“Breezy Johnson’s achievements on the Olympic stage are a remarkable testament to her perseverance and excellence, and we are immensely proud to call her a Western alumna,” Randhawa said. “She represents the very best of WWU and continues to inspire students, alumni, and our broader community.”
Here’s what to know:
Who is Olympic gold medalist Breezy Johnson?
Born in Victor, Idaho, Johnson learned to ski at age 3 on the western slope of Teton Pass, according to Idaho Statesman archives and the Team USA website.
“She competed in her first ski race at age 5, with her stuffed fox shoved into her purple bib snow pants,” Johnson’s official biography reads.
Johnson attended Rowmark Ski Academy in Salt Lake City, first qualifying for Team USA’s alpine ski team in 2014.
She attended Western Washington University in Bellingham from 2016 to 2018, studying English literature.
“A lot of people think once you become an Olympian you have a manager and the whole gamut, but that’s not completely true,” Johnson told university publication WWU Windows in 2018. “You need to make a lot of money to afford those people, and ski racing isn’t that lucrative unless you’re winning medals regularly. So I basically have to do it for myself.”
“I want to graduate, then either go to business or law school and become a sports agent,” Johnson said at the time.
As a college sophomore, Johnson made her Olympic debut at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. She finished in seventh place in downhill skiing and 14th in the Super G.
However, those major milestones were “followed by two severe knee injuries that sidelined her for extended periods,” Johnson’s bio reads.
She spent part of her “long and demanding recovery” attending the University of Utah, her bio says, before returning to competition in 2024.
Johnson showed “grit and determination” as she won gold at the 2025 World Championships downhill, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard website said, sharing another gold in the team combined event with teammate Mikaela Shiffrin.
“She capped off a strong season with a World Cup podium in Kvitfjell, Norway,” the website said.
Downhill skier wins gold medal for Team USA
he 2026 Olympic Games kicked off Feb. 6 and continue through Sunday, Feb. 22, with events in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
On Sunday, Johnson competed in the Women’s Alpine Skiing finals at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Her fellow Team USA athletes include Jacqueline Wiles, AJ Hurt and Lindsey Vonn.
Johnson took the gold with a winning time of 1 minute, 36.10 seconds, according to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard website.
Germany’s Emma Aicher took the silver medal, while Italy’s Sofia Goggia won bronze.
“I had a good feeling about today,” Johnson, 30, told ESPN on Sunday. “I sort of still can’t believe it yet, so I don’t know when it’ll sink in.”
Team USA celebrated its “golden return” to the podium via Instagram.
“Breezy Johnson Ski delivers Team USA’s first women’s downhill gold at the #WinterOlympics since Lindsey Vonn in 2010,” the post read.
Bellingham university, fans react to gold medal win
Western Washington University also shared its excitement about Johnson’s win on social media.
“#WWU alum Breezy Johnson earns the United States’ first medal in the Milan Cortina Olympics, and it’s GOLD!” the university said in a Sunday Facebook post.
Commenters echoed the university’s enthusiam.
“Congrats Breezy! What a run!” Facebook user Dawn Crowe Pimmel wrote in a comment on Western Washington University’s post
“So amazing!! Representing WWU English lit majors!!” Facebook user Laura Laffrado wrote.
What medals has Team USA won so far?
As of Monday, Feb. 9, Team USA had won a total of seven medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, including Johnson’s gold.
Team USA also won a gold medal in figure skating.
Athletes representing the United States have won silver medals for curling, cross-country skiing and freestyle skiing, and bronze medals in alpine skiing and luge.
This story was originally published February 10, 2026 at 10:58 AM.