Swiss skier wins first gold medal of Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics

Swiss Skier Franjo von Allmen Wins First Gold Medal of 2026 Winter Olympics

Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland captured the first gold medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, delivering a masterful performance in the men’s downhill on the challenging Stelvio course in Bormio on Saturday.

The 24-year-old reigning world champion clocked a winning time of 1 minute, 51.61 seconds, holding off a charging Italian duo that thrilled the home crowd. Giovanni Franzoni took silver, finishing 0.20 seconds back, while Dominik Paris earned bronze to give Italy its first two medals of these Games.cbc

“I’m super happy, it feels like kind of a movie,” von Allmen said after his victory. “I really tried to enjoy the skiing and not over push. Just show what I can do.”nbcolympics

A Fallen Favorite and Home Heroes

Marco Odermatt, the four-time overall World Cup champion considered the pre-race favorite, narrowly missed the podium in fourth place, trailing his Swiss compatriot by 0.70 seconds. Von Allmen’s victory ensures that Switzerland retains the Olympic downhill title following Beat Feuz’s gold at the Beijing 2022 Games before the veteran’s retirement.olympics

Paris, nicknamed the “King of Bormio” after seven World Cup victories at the venue, finally secured his first Olympic medal in his fifth Winter Games. The 36-year-old, who is also the vocalist of a heavy metal band called “Rise of Voltage,” knows the treacherous Stelvio course better than perhaps any competitor in the field.cbc

For Franzoni, the silver medal caps a breakout season that saw the 24-year-old from Manerba del Garda claim a World Cup super-G victory in Wengen in January and a downhill win in Kitzbühel.turnto10

American Disappointment

Kyle Negomir delivered the top American result of the day, finishing 10th in his Olympic debut while wearing bib No. 27. Bryce Bennett came in 13th in what he said would be his final Winter Olympics, an emotional moment he shared with his wife and baby daughter watching in Bormio.skiracing

The day’s biggest disappointment came from Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who had posted the fastest time in Wednesday’s training run but finished 18th on race day, nearly two seconds off the pace. Cochran-Siegle, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist in super-G, arrived in Italy as a medal contender after a third-place World Cup finish in Crans-Montana just six days earlier.yahoo

Bode Miller remains the last American man to medal in the Olympic downhill, having won bronze in 2010.yahoo