N. Stepanauskaitė, an alpine skier from Druskininkai, recently made her Olympic debut, participating in the slalom event where she finished 47th among 95 competitors. Her performance was marked by two runs where only 53 athletes completed both runs successfully. In her first run, she was positioned 56th with a time of 55.59 seconds, and while she did not improve her ranking in the second run, her final time was 1 minute and 57.50 seconds, aided by the struggles of others in the competition.

Reflecting on her debut, Stepanauskaitė expressed a mixture of emotions, acknowledging that although she did not achieve a personal best, she met her goal of simply competing at the Olympics. She stated, "I cannot say that I am very proud of these runs, but I did what I had to do," highlighting her determination and perseverance in fulfilling her Olympic dream. Her participation comes at a time when the sport is gaining traction in Lithuania, with Stepanauskaitė's journey inspiring many aspiring athletes in her home country.

In Tofane, the historical competition also saw Mikaela Shiffrin reclaiming the Olympic slalom champion title after a 12-year gap, finishing the race in 1 minute 39.10 seconds. Shiffrin's victory adds to her already impressive collection of achievements, marking a significant moment for the sport and highlighting the competitive nature of alpine skiing on the Olympic stage. This event showcases not only the aspirations of up-and-coming athletes like Stepanauskaitė but also the legacy and ongoing excellence of seasoned champions like Shiffrin.