At only 16 years of age, Indra Brown has become a rising star in the world of freeskiing. Competing at her first Olympics, she finished fifth in the freeski halfpipe at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, a remarkable achievement that highlights her swift progression over recent months.
Originally scheduled to compete at the FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championships in Calgary, Brown's Olympic final took precedence over her travel plans. "When an Olympics calls, you jump when you're told," she remarked, showing her dedication to the sport.
Brown's journey to the Olympic stage is particularly noteworthy. Just last November, she was still an unknown in senior FIS World Cup events. By January, she had made waves in the skiing community, winning three medals, including her first title at the Calgary Snow Rodeo and securing an X-Games silver medal.
Her fifth-place result ties for the best finish by an Australian teenager in Olympic history—an achievement previously set by Jakara Anthony, who finished fourth in moguls at PyeongChang 2018. "It's incredible," stated Brown, who expressed mixed feelings about her performance. "To be able to land three runs at the Olympics is pretty special. To just show everyone what I can do and give a good show, I hope, for everyone, was pretty special."
Despite her commendable run, Brown felt she had been underscored during the competition. She began her day with her initial run, which didn’t yield the score she hoped for, landing her in sixth place. The judging process was challenging, as her scores were lower than she anticipated. "Some peculiarly harsh judging on my admittedly cautious first run saw me behind the eight ball from the start," she said. In her second run, she showcased an impressive left cork 10 safety switch but received a score of only 65.00, which did not reflect her improvements.
In a competition known for its fierce contenders, British skier Zoe Atkin led with a score of 90.50 in her first run. Following her, Gu Ailing delivered a breathtaking performance that brought her to the top with a 94.00 score, while Li Fanghui also impressed with a 91.50. Thus, with the top scores established, Brown aimed to shift her position further up the rankings.
Her final run showcased her growth and technical skill, culminating in a score of 87.00. "I tried to build every run. In my last run, I was able to land left cork 9 blunt, right cork 9 safety, left cork 10 safety switch, right 5 Japan, switch left cork 7, and then left alley-oop 5 mute," Brown detailed, reflecting her excitement about achieving her run successfully for the first time in a competitive setting.
Despite the impressive display, Brown felt the judging criteria might have changed during the event, valuing amplitude over the technical aspects, which ultimately impacted her scores. "It seemed like they moved away from the technicality they were rewarding in qualifying to prioritize amplitude out of the side of the pipe," she observed.
After her final run, Brown shared a heartfelt moment with Gu, the eventual gold medallist, who had earlier said she saw a lot of herself in Brown. "We just gave each other a big hug," Brown remarked. "She was really proud for me, and it's really cool. She’s sort of what I idolised, so to have her give me a hug at the end of my last run at the Olympics is pretty special."
As the medals were awarded and more experienced skiers celebrated their success, the youthful talent from Melbourne reflected on her Olympic experience. Despite her disappointment in not medaling, Indra Brown's journey has just begun, with her eyes firmly set on future competitions. She will be heading back to her accommodation in Livigno, ready to pack for the next challenge ahead, embodying the spirit that has taken her so far in such a short time.