Aussie schoolgirl Indra Brown receives ultimate four-word inspiration from gold medallist Eileen Gu

Indra Brown may have fallen just short of the podium, but an Olympic legend gave her everything she needed.

Australia’s greatest Winter Olympics has ended with the glorious vision that the snowsport future is green ‘n gold — and Brown!

Freestyle skier Indra Brown may have fallen just short of the podium place that would have put the perfect seal on their record-breaking Milano-Cortina sojourn, but the best ever performance by any Australian 16-year-old at a Winter Games was a glimpse of an enticing future.

Indeed, the Melbourne schoolgirl, who finished fifth just a few weeks after turning 16, was even given the ultimate compliment from her illustrious freeski halfpipe conqueror, Eileen Gu, who just told her: “You’re awesome — your time will come.”

It was Gu’s day again, the Chinese-American superstar conjuring up her trademark high-flying magic on the pipe to win a third Olympic gold and sixth medal in all at Livigno Snow Park.

But though Gu’s already the most decorated athlete in the the short history of her sport, the 22-year-old could already recognise the kid who finished just 5.5 points off a podium place may be the next big thing.

“I told Indra I was so proud of her, and also that her time would come,” Gu said, having rushed over to congratulate Brown after her daring final run of 87.00 thrust her from 10th to fifth.

“I could see that she was a little bit disappointed with fifth — but she has many, many, many medals in her future.

“She’s awesome. She’s so amazing, I mean, she’s incredible … the consistency, the execution, she’s fantastic. I’m really excited to watch her ski.”

The compliments left Brown with a soaring feeling as she heads straight to Calgary for the world junior championships.

“I idolise her,” Brown said of Gu, who herself was once mentored by the Aussie’s current American coach Jamie Melton.

“To have her give me a hug at the end of my last run at the Olympics is pretty special.”

It was the boldness of Brown’s last outing after a couple of more tentative runs which identified a champion’s spirit as she became one of just two competitors to uncork a triple-revolution 1080 jump.

“I’d never put it down in competition before, so I was stoked,” she said proudly, as her family cheered her on.

“It’s incredible. I just wanted to come out here and show everyone what I could do, so by doing that and getting this result, it’s amazing.”

Gu’s greatness was in evidence again after she bailed out of her first run and then delivered the best two runs of the competition, 94.00 and 94.75, with fellow Chinese Fanghui Li taking silver with 93.00 and Briton Zoe Atkin taking bronze with 92.50.

“I’m the most decorated freeskier of all time, male or female,” declared Gu. “That’s a testament to competitive strength, it’s mental strength. It’s being able to perform under pressure. It has nothing to do with if you’re a boy or a girl.”

Her great day, though, was later marked by sadness at learning that her Chinese grandmother had died. “She inspired me so much,” said Gu.

The triple champ is still in a different league to Brown with her speed on the pipe and the height of her hits, but the young World Cup leader is catching up.

She couldn’t better the record of speed skater Steven Bradbury, who was 20 years 133 days old when he won bronze in 1994, but can reflect proudly on bettering Valentino Guseli’s previous best by an Aussie 16-year-old who was sixth in the 2022 snowboard halfpipe.

It meant Australia will come home with a record six medals — three golds, two silver and a bronze — to finish 14th in a medals table headed by Norway’s astonishing 18 gold, 12 silvers and 11 bronze.