Fanny Smith: the Olympic journey of a record breaker  

Fanny Smith has one of the most impressive resumes in the history of the ski cross World Cup. She has won 29 races - a record in itself - and three Crystal Globes. She has also medalled five times at the World Championships including winning one gold.

Now she has her sights set on the ultimate prize - an Olympic title. In January, the 29-year-old injured her knee in a car accident, however she is now on course to improve upon her third-place finish at the PyeongChang 2018 Games.

TO READ: Get to know Fanny Smith

It was in a cable car in Zweisimmen, Switzerland that Fanny Smith’s professional career as a athlete really sprung into life. The date was 28 November 2006, the very day ski cross was added to the Olympic programme. Smith was only 14 years old and her father asked her a life-changing question. 

“I still remember my father asking me whether I wanted to compete in ski cross at the Olympic Winter Games,” Smith said in an interview with Olympic.com. “I had maybe only competed in five races and I answered, ‘yes, why not.’ I was 14 and it all started there. My father told me to have fun with my sport and that he would take care of the rest.”

The Swiss skier competed in her first World Cup just two years later and was present when ski cross made its debut at Vancouver 2010. 

At that time, Smith wasn’t even 18, however she arrived at the Games confident she would do well having reached her first World Cup podium just a month before. Since then, 62 top 3 finishes have followed including 29 victories. 

Nobody in history has more World Cup wins to their name. 

In her Olympic debut, Smith finished seventh. The future already looked bright.

After Sochi 2014, Fanny Smith rebuilt herself thanks to martial arts

"My big goal was to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010. I was the youngest racer in ski cross and the youngest athlete in the Swiss delegation. It was amazing. From this goal, I wanted to go further. Obviously, the Olympic Winter Games played a huge role in my career," explained the skier who was already aiming for a medal.

She added six victories in the World Cup, a first crystal globe and a gold medal at the World Championships before becoming a two-time Olympian. At Sochi 2014, Smith was only 22 years old but she was already a favourite. Eighth in the final standing, she left Rosa Khutor without a medal and disappointed.

"I was ready, I was awaited and a small mistake cost me the qualification in the final. For me, it was very difficult. Mentally, the road was long to come back from. In my opinion, it’s the most difficult thing. I had lost all my confidence."

A passion for her sport and for martial arts ultimately helped the Aigle-native come back stronger. A physical coach discovered a new way for her to work with her body and mind. To this day, he remains alongside her.

Six months before PyeongChang 2018, she changed her training structure to join the Swiss team having worked before with a private team. It was a risky decision but it paid off. She won the bronze medal at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. It was a dream come true and her collection of medals kept growing.

"I have a lot of luck to have an Olympic medal at home. Now, I’m going to Beijing 2022 in order to bring home a new medal. And I hope that it will be the shiniest one."

"At the Olympic Winter Games, we’re almost in a spiritual state of mind"

The Olympic gold was her main goal before injuring her knee in a fall during a World Cup race in Nakiska in mid-January. She had to lower her ambitions, just looking to start the race at Beijing 2022.

Her efforts were motivated by the possibility of experiencing the unique atmosphere of the Olympic Winter Games for the fourth time in her life. At the start of every women’s ski cross Olympic race, Smith realised how special the Games are.

"There is a lot of stress, but it’s amazing, at the Games, you experience feelings that you can’t feel anywhere else. I can recall all my starts since Vancouver 2010 because you’re almost in a spiritual state of mind. You’re in a daze, and you understand everything."

The atmosphere of the Olympic Winter Games is special but not only on the slopes.

"The Games are magic. You experience a lot of unforgivable moments. The Olympic Winter Games are more than winter sports, they bring the whole world together."

If Fanny Smith experienced those unique moments, it’s all because of a simple question asked by her father in a cable car more than a decade ago.