Nina O’Brien made her return to the Olympic stage at the Milano-Cortina Games, four years on from her heartbreaking crash at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she suffered a severe compound fracture in her left leg. The 28-year-old managed a respectable 20th-place finish in the Giant Slalom event at the 2026 Games.
A Look Into American Skier Nina O’Brien’s Career
Pushing for a podium spot at the Beijing Olympics prior to her crash, O’Brien faced a long road to recovery but is now back on the big stage.
A Giant Slalom and Slalom specialist, O’Brien has been competing for Team USA for more than a decade now. The California native came through the ranks at the famous Palisades Tahoe ski resort, and later attended the famed Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont.
O’Brien is an eight-time national champion and has been one of the top performers on the Team USA roster over the last few years. In addition to her national titles, O’Brien has also tasted success on the international stage at the World Championships, where she won gold in the team event alongside Paula Moltzan, Tommy Ford, and River Radamus.
The crash in Beijing arrested O’Brien’s career trajectory, but she has been finding her way back towards the top of the FIS World Cup charts. She recorded four top-10 finishes in the 2025 season and has already matched that feat this season.
Currently 12th in the FIS World Cup standings for Giant Slalom with 167 points to her name, O’Brien has won two events in the Australian New Zealand Cup this season.
O’Brien’s family is big into ski racing, with her three siblings all competing at some point in their lives. The Dartmouth alum called competing in the Olympic Games a “dream come true” after participating in the team event earlier this week.
Where O’Brien, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Co. Finished in Giant Slalom
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Mikaela Shiffrin led the Team USA roster in the Giant Slalom event on Sunday. But the American skiers couldn’t end the event with a medal, with Shiffrin only managing an 11th-place finish.
Paula Moltzan followed in 15th place, while O’Brien finished 20th to cap off a frustrating afternoon for the Americans at the Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Frederica Brignone won the gold medal in Giant Slalom, with Sweden’s Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund of Norway winning silver.
Team USA has so far won three medals in alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, with Breezy Johnson winning gold in the women’s Downhill, Ryan Cochran-Siegle claiming silver in the men’s Super-G, and the team of Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan winning bronze in the team combined women’s event.
Alpine ski racing continues on Monday with the men’s Slalom, followed by the women’s Slalom to cap off the sport’s schedule on Wednesday.
