Brabec, McKinnon Earn Silver at Nordic Junior World Ski Championships
The duo of Alexa Brabec and Kai McKinnon finished second overall in the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships team sprint HS 102/2x4.5k in Planica, Slovenia, bringing home the first-ever medal in a women’s nordic combined team event at Junior Worlds for the United States.
On the hill, McKinnon started things off with an 84.0 meter jump for 89.1 points. Brabec then put together an 89.5 meter jump for 107.4 points (196.5 total points), securing the fifth position for the sprint, starting +0:29 back of first place.
In the race, Brabec and McKinnon were able to move into third place after 0.7k, and then moved into second place after 3k. The duo then moved into first overall after 4.5k, as they battled with Japan for the gold medal. Brabec and McKinnon were neck and neck with Japan until the final stretch after 8.2k, crossing the finish line at 9k just +0.7 behind Japan, as Brabec and McKinnon secured the silver medal for the United States.
“Wow, what an amazing day for Alexa and Kai,” said Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Sport Director Anders Johnson. “This team has really exceeded our expectations at Junior World Championships, and I couldn’t be more proud. A huge shoutout to our coaches, Michael and Garrett for their hard work, and the Norwegian team for their amazing support.”
Alexa Brabec
Alexa Brabec was a member of the first team of women to represent the United States in Nordic Combined at a World Championship event. She also competed in the 2020 Youth Olympics. One day, she hopes to compete at the Olympics on the world stage.
Brabec is a huge soccer fan, and growing up, she idolized U.S. Women’s National Team Member, Tobin Heath. Brabec still plays in the spring and the fall as cross-training for skiing. Her sister, Haley, is also a Nordic Combined athlete.