Kirsty Muir Wins Silver at the Youth Olympics

Last week our very own Kirsty Muir, fifteen years old, won silver at the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Big Air, becoming Britain’s first-ever female Big Air Olympic medallist. Whilst most girls are knuckling down with school work, Kirsty is juggling it with travelling the world for skiing. Luckily she had the opportunity to put the school work on hold to enjoy the Olympic experience. We thought we’d check in with her to have a chat about her awesome achievement.

Photos by: Sam Mellish

So you won silver at Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Big Air last week. What was your game plan going into the event and did everything go to plan?

I guess my plan game plan was to get the speed, and then I needed to do my switch misty 900, which I hadn’t done since April. I’d done it on an airbag, but not on snow since April. I had four runs of practice in the morning, so it was quite quick. I managed to get the misty 900 in the practice and the first run of the competition. I just wanted to get that landed so I could do my corks, the 720 and the 900, or do something to clean it up.

One of your main inspirations in women’s freeskiing is Sarah Hoefflin, who won gold at the last Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, do you see yourself following in her footsteps (or ski tracks)?

Yes, I hope that one day I can be doing what she’s doing. She definitely inspires me, she’s so hardworking and I really do look up to her.

Do you have any other role models in skiing?

I love the way that Kelly Sildaru skis, she always has a smile on her face and is so consistent. I was just watching the Women’s X Games Slopestyle and wow is that inspirational, all the girls were throwing down.

Photos by: Sam Mellish

You appeared on BBC Breakfast at the weekend, how surreal was that?

I got my hair and makeup done and going on the TV was amazing, it didn’t feel real. Last night I was also on Ski Sunday, I didn’t catch it myself because I was studying, but when I have a chance I will have to go back and watch it. All my friends were talking about it when I went back to school.

You said that you enjoyed watching other winter sports during your time at the Youth Olympics. If you were to compete in anything else but Big Air and Slopestyle what would it be?

We went to watch some speed skating and that was pretty cool. I think something like ski jumping would be cool the try. I don’t think I have one that I would go to, it would be quite nice to try a lot of them.

If you were to compete in the Summer Olympics, what would you choose as a discipline?

Ooo, erm… I quite like netball, so going with a netball team would be quite cool.

X-Games Aspen has just finished, do you think an X Games medal or an Olympic medal would be more valuable to you?

I don’t think one would be better than the other. X Games is such a cool event and they’ve just started the new jam format which would be cool to try. The Olympics is only every four years, so it’s quite special if you manage to podium I think.

During X Games Aspen this year what athletes or tricks stood out for you?

Loads of the girls this year were doing doubles, which is amazing.

Photos by: Sam Mellish

How does it feel to be the first female British athlete to get an Olympic medal in Big Air?

I didn’t know that before going into the event, I only found out afterwards, it’s cool to have made a little bit of history.

You were chosen as the official Team GB flag bearer for the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympics closing ceremony. Did you ever imagine that could be how you’d be wrapping up the Youth Olympics and how did it feel holding the flag?

I was stoked when they asked me to be the flag bearer, they asked me straight after the Big Air final. It was insane. It was nice to walk out and see all the other athletes there. My parents were somewhere in the crowd taking plenty of photos.

Photos by: Sam Mellish

What are your ski plans for the rest of the winter and has this silver medal got you fired up for the rest of the competition season?

When I go back to LAAX, I will be training there for a bit. Then over the next few months, I’ve got a couple of competitions, a few Europa Cups and a World Cup. Apart from that, just training as much as I can. I’m excited to get out to the mountains again.

If there are any guys and girls inspired by your journey at the Youth Olympics, what would you say to convince them to get involved in freeskiing?

I would say how much I love the sport and love being in the mountains doing tricks in the air. If they were thinking about it then I would say that you should get down to your local snow-dome or dry-slope and give it a go.

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