Ana Alonso Rodriguez’s hard climb to Olympic skimo bronze began off the snow, after being hit by car

The steepest hill ski mountaineering athlete Ana Alonso Rodriguez had to climb on her way to an Olympic bronze medal involved no course at all. Just trusting in herself, and an injured knee, to give it a try and get to the starting line at the Milan Cortina Games. This bronze medal, the one she earned Thursday, felt almost surreal.

By PAT GRAHAM