Maderova Shocks Ledecka to Claim Czech Snowboard Gold in Parallel Giant Slalom Upset

Czech snowboarder Zuzana Maderova claimed Olympic gold in the women's parallel giant slalom at Milano Cortina 2026 on Sunday, delivering a stunning upset by defeating Austria's Sabine Payer in the final. The 22-year-old, competing without a single World Cup victory to her name, dominated the gold-medal race with a commanding 0.83-second margin over Payer, while Italy's Lucia Dalmasso captured bronze on home snow.

Maderova's triumph represents Czechia's third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event, but it came at the expense of her legendary compatriot Ester Ledecka, who was attempting to become the first snowboarder to win gold at three straight Winter Games. Ledecka, the defending champion from PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, suffered a shocking quarterfinal exit after making an early error against Payer, ending her historic bid in dramatic fashion.

The young Czech star demonstrated remarkable composure throughout the competition, dominating from the qualifying rounds where she finished her two time trials a full 0.69 seconds faster than any other competitor. That early statement of intent set the tone for a day where Maderova would prove unstoppable, navigating the challenging Mottolino course in Livigno with precision and aggression that belied her relative inexperience on the sport's biggest stage.

Ledecka's quarterfinal defeat sent shockwaves through the snowboarding world, as the multi-sport Olympic champion had entered as the overwhelming favorite. The 30-year-old, who famously won gold in both snowboarding and alpine skiing at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, struggled to find her rhythm against Payer's aggressive racing line. Her elimination opened the door for Maderova to seize her moment and write her own chapter in Czech snowboarding history.

The final proved to be a showcase of Maderova's talent and nerve. Payer, who had stunned Ledecka earlier in the day, found herself slip-sliding through several gates as the Czech racer pulled away decisively. Maderova's victory marks her first major championship triumph and establishes her as a rising force in the discipline, even as it continues Czechia's remarkable stranglehold on Olympic parallel giant slalom gold.

For Italy, Dalmasso's bronze medal provided a bright spot on home snow, delighting the partisan crowd at the Mottolino Snowpark. The podium result capped a dramatic day of competition that saw the torch passed from one Czech star to another, while maintaining the nation's unbroken Olympic winning streak in an event they have now dominated for over eight years.