Marianne Fatton (SUI) will forever hold the unique distinction of first person to ever win a gold medal in ski mountaineering at the Winter Olympics. The 30-year-old outlasted and outraced 17 other competitors on Thursday to emerge victorious in the women’s sprint as the snow fell in Bormio. She clocked in at 2:59.77 in the final.

Six-time world champion Emily Harrop (FRA) snagged silver in her Olympic debut, finishing a little over two seconds behind Fatton (+2.38).

Ana Alonso Rodriguez (SPA) claimed bronze (+10.45).

Harrop, the event's gold medal favorite heading in, motored through the skinning section of the final, which required the athletes to ski uphill. She carried the advantage through the diamond obstacle leg, passed the first transition, and up the steep boot packing steps.

The 28-year-old appeared to be in complete control, until the second transition. She couldn't quite shimmy her right boot into her ski, perhaps because of the wet, snowy conditions.

Fatton, who'd been keeping pace with Harrop, not too far behind, pulled ahead and hustled uphill to the top of the course. Harrop was hot on her tail, but Fatton had gained a lead that proved to be insurmountable. She ripped the skins off her skis and carved down to the finish line. As soon as she crossed it, she fell into a nearby snowbank and cried.

Harrop finished in a close 2nd, and Alonso, who hovered in 5th place for much of the race, snuck into 3rd. It was remarkable that Alonso even competed in the sprint (let alone reached the podium) given that she was hit by a car while cycling in October. 

The crash resulted in a torn ACL and MCL, as well as a shoulder dislocation and ankle fracture. Still, Alonso elected not to have surgery for the opportunity to represent her country at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Represent Spain she did, securing a bronze medal, and in the process, becoming the third Spanish woman ever to earn a Winter Olympic medal.

Ski mountaineering returns on Saturday when Americans Anna Gibson and Cam Smith team up to compete in the mixed relay event. The action starts at 7:30 a.m. ET and will stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

Semifinal 1

Emily Harrop continued to demonstrate why she was a six-time world champion and the No. 1-ranked SkiMo sprinter during the 2024-25 season, as she paced the entire semifinal field with a time of 3:06.57.

Even though the event is called a sprint, endurance in this snowy triathlon was key for the competitors. Ida Waldal, a lucky loser in the heats that snuck into the semis, exploded from the startling line and took an early lead. 

The momentum changed when the first transition occurred — requiring ski removal — as Harrop powered through it faster than anyone. From there, she led the rest of the way, charging up the steep stairs, uphill skiing to the course’s summit, ripping the skins off her skis and skiing to the bottom of the course. 

Marianne Fatton, the reigning SkiMo sprint world champion, finished shortly after (+1.72), propelling her to the final alongside Harrop.

Spain’s Ana Alonso Rodriguez’s Olympic SkiMo journey will also continue. She placed 3rd but qualified for the final as one of the two lucky losers.

Semifinal 2

Twenty-three-year-old Margot Ravinel (FRA) came out of nowhere to win the second semifinal race of the women’s SkiMo sprint event. She clocked in at 3:10.13.

Marianna Jagercikova, a former world champion, leapt in front early, leading the first uphill through the diamond section. Giulia Murada was close behind, but struggled in the first transition, giving 40-year-old Jagercikova the edge heading up the snow-covered stairs.

At that point, Ravinel started making her move. By the time the athletes reached the peak of the course, she was firmly in control and skied down to the finish before anyone else. Tatjana Paller followed closely behind in second (+1.96), while Giulia Murada earned a lucky loser position, as she came in third (+2.30).

Heat 1

Emily Harrop (France), the No. 1-ranked SkiMo'er last season in the sprint event, crossed the finish line first in the first heat, clocking in at 3.03:34. She officially qualified for the semifinals, which will take place at 6:55 a.m. ET.

Tatjana Paller (GER), who came in 7.86 seconds behind Harrop, also qualified for the semifinals and so too did Caroline Ulrich (SUI) (+8.09).

The 4th-place finisher, Ida Waldal (NOR), learned after all three heats that she would also advance as a "lucky loser." Essentially, the three fastest athletes in the three heats who did not automatically qualify for the semifinals by placing in the top three of their heat, will in fact make it to the semifinals.

Anna Gibson (USA), the lone American competing in the women's sprint event, placed 5th (+14.10) and has an outside chance of moving onto the semifinals if her time is good enough.

Rebeka Cully (SVK) rounded out the heat, coming in 6th.

Heat 2

In Heat 2, Marianne Fatton (SUI) continued Switzerland's dominance in Bormio (see: the Alpine skiing multi-medal earning triumvirate of Franjo von Allmen, Marco Odermatt and Loic Meillard), posting the fastest time.

Margot Ravinal (FRA) crossed the finish line less than two seconds after Fatton (+1.33), while Marianna Jagercikova (SVK) came in 3rd (+8.81).

With the three best times, Fatton, Ravinal and Jagercikova advanced to the semifinals.

Heat 3

Home-country hopeful Giulia Murada (ITA) eked out a 1st-place finish in the third heat, edging Ana Alonso Rodriguez (ESP) by 0.65 seconds.

Rodriguez, who was hit by a car while she was training last year, pushed her remarkable return to the sport forward, qualifying for the semifinals by finishing second (+0.65).

Maria Costa Diez (SPA) joined her fellow countrywoman in qualifying by rounding out the top three (+9.12).