Breezy Johnson made history on February 8, 2025, by winning the women’s downhill at the Alpine World Championships in Austria. This former English major from Western Washington University reached a remarkable speed of 86 mph on the Saalbach-Hinterglemm course, one of the fastest for women in competitive skiing.
“I was so excited because I knew I skied my best,” Johnson said after her win. “I’ll enjoy this moment. I’ve been in situations before where I gave my all and didn’t win.”
Before this victory, her best performance at the World Championships was ninth place in 2021. Though she has never won a World Cup race, she has earned a spot on the podium seven times. Johnson started the race first, and none of the other skiers could catch her, finishing just 0.15 seconds ahead of silver medalist Mirjam Puchner from Austria, and 0.21 seconds in front of Ester Ledecka, a two-time Olympic gold medalist from the Czech Republic.
At 29, Johnson has faced many challenges, including injuries throughout her career. “You need to be happy with your skiing, or life can get pretty tough,” she reflected.
She also dealt with a setback in 2023 when she was banned for 14 months due to missing drug tests. Olympic athletes can face suspensions for missing three tests within a year, which can happen even with valid excuses.
After serving her suspension, Johnson returned to World Cup racing in December 2024. With this championship win, she now joins the ranks of American skiing legends like Lindsey Vonn, Hilary Lindh, and Picabo Street, who also have won world titles.
Another American competitor, Lauren Macuga, who earned a bronze in super-G at the same World Championships, finished fifth in the downhill. Vonn, competing at 40 after her comeback, placed 15th.
Johnson’s incredible journey makes her a strong contender for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. “It’s taken a long time, but if you keep pushing, you might just achieve your dreams,” she said.
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