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Ashley Farquharson raced to Olympic glory in luge on Tuesday at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
The American luger became emotional when she checked the scoreboard and realized she had won her first Olympic medal. Her performance in the women’s singles luge on Tuesday also marked just the second time an American has won an Olympic medal in the event.
Farquharson, who started skating as an after-school activity growing up in The Park City, Utah, native said it was almost hard to believe what she had accomplished.
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Ashley Farquharson of the United States reacts after her run during the women’s single luge during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on February 10, 2026. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters via Imagn Images)
“It really didn’t feel right,” Farquharson said after his win. “And then everybody that met me on the ice and the whirlwind it’s been since then really cemented it. For a couple of seconds when I was coming up the chute I was like, ‘this isn’t right’.”
USA SKATER MAXIM NAUMOV HONORS LATE PARENTS IN EMOTIONAL OLYMPIC PERFORMANCE
Germany’s Julia Taubitz took the gold medal, winning by almost a full second, a monster margin in luge. Latvia’s Elena Bota finished second, matching her country’s best Olympic result.
Until Farquharson’s feat, Erin Hamlin was the last American to earn a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Ashley Farquharson of Team United States starts the Women’s Singles Run 1 on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Cortina Sliding Center on February 9, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
“This was the dream,” Taubitz said. “And now the dream is coming true.”
Farquharson did not medal in any of her first 54 World Cup races before finally breaking through this season.
She wasn’t the fastest, but she was more than good enough. She is an Olympic medalist. Farquharson’s abilities will never be questioned again.
“Super happy for Ashley, very happy for USA Luge,” said longtime American teammate Emily Fischnaller. “I mean, we’re the ones on the sled, but there’s a team behind us with everything we do. So it’s just a testament to all the work that everybody put into it.”
Bronze medalist Ashley Farquharson of the United States celebrates after the women’s single luge during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Cortina Sliding Center on February 10, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters via Imagn Images)
Luge is a sport where athletes slide on their backs on sleds down an icy track at high speeds.
Fischnaller was 12th for the Americans in 3:33.035, dropping from fifth after three races after trouble in her final heat. Summer Britcher of the United States, a two-time World Cup winner this season and now a four-time Olympian, was 14th in 3:33.553.
