Michela MOIOLI

OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES HEARTBREAK
Competing in the final of the snowboard cross at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, she overcame a difficult start to move into fourth place. Looking to overtake Alexandra Jekova (BUL) and move into a medal position, she clipped the Bulgarian’s board, and both fell over the cliff-edge of a jump on the corner’s exit. She was immediately shuttled down the hill on a stretcher and received urgent medical attention. An x-ray confirmed she tore her left knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The experience motivated her and when she returned to the Olympic Winter Games four years later in PyeongChang, she led from the front and claimed her maiden Olympic title. (Info 2018).

“It hurt a lot. Like a knife in the knee. It was not just a pain in the leg but a pain in the mind and in the heart. I just thought that I really wanted to come back stronger and win again. I love winning and this is what motivated me.” (olympicchannel.com, 19 Dec 2018; iceatrail.com, 5 Mar 2019)

COVID-19
Residing in Bergamo, one of the worst affected Italian provinces from Covid-19, she experienced first-hand the devastation the virus caused. Evacuated in late January 2020 to the military barracks in Courmayeur in order to finish the World Cup season.

“It’s a war at home. The town is completely deserted. The only sounds you hear are church bells ringing for deaths and ambulances. Outside the cemetery, coffins are stacked up because there’s nobody to bury them. Every family has at least one person with the coronavirus.” (cbc.ca, 20 Mar 2020)

TATTOO
Phoenix tattoo on her back, symbolising rebirth. Got it after winning gold at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games following her crash and torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at Sochi 2014. (sciaremag.it, 27 May 2020)

FIRST WORLD CUP RACE
"Even my coaches remember my first World Cup race very well because during my first run, at the second turn I crashed right into the nets. I just went too fast and ended out that soon. Right there everybody knew that I was a bit crazy. But it went better later on." (FISI TV, YouTube, Dec 2020)

OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS FRIENDSHIP
One of her greatest friends is Alpine skiing Olympic and World Cup champion Sofia Goggia (ITA). Coming from the same province, Bergamo, the two shared the gold medal memories from PyeongChang 2018. "We are very much alike, same attitude from Bergamo, same ambitions, same dreams. Same hunger, both food-wise and in racing." (FISI TV YouTube, October 2019)

In February 2021, she dedicated to Goggia her silver medal at the 2021 Idre Fjall World Championships as the Alpine skier had injured a knee and had to miss the Cortina 2021 World Championships.

In June 2019, during their presentation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session, from the main stage, Moioli and Goggia also held together a passionate plea for Milano Cortina 2026 to be awarded Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Beijing 2022 silver medallist in mixed team snowboard cross (with Omar Visintin).

PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games snowboard cross champion - the first Italian to win Olympic gold in snowboarding. Finished sixth at Sochi 2014.

Six-time World Championships medallist (three silver, three bronze), four in snowboard cross, two in the mixed team.

Double Junior World Championships snowboard cross bronze medallist (2012, 2013).

First Italian woman to win the World Cup snowboard cross overall title in 2016.

Best Italian snowboard cross athlete ever with 16 World Cup wins and 35 World Cup podiums. (end of 2021)

Six-time snowboard cross national champion.