First Gold Medals Awarded at Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

The inaugural gold medal of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games was presented on a sunny Saturday at the men’s downhill skiing event. Taking place in Bormio, Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen delivered an impressive performance, completing the demanding course in just 1 minute and 51.61 seconds.

Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during the men’s downhill race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy. Photo by Gabriele Facciotti / AP.

Von Allmen’s time was enough to maintain a slim lead over Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, who clinched the silver medal with a time just 0.2 seconds slower. Another Italian, Dominik Paris, completed a rapid run to capture the bronze medal, displacing Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt from the podium.

For the United States, Kyle Negomir was the top finisher in the men’s downhill race, securing the 10th position. ”My goal was to perform in a way that left no room for regrets,” expressed Negomir.

Sweden Triumphs in Women’s Skiathlon

In the women’s 10km+10km skiathlon held at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme, Italy, Team Sweden impressively captured both the gold and silver medals. Frida Karlsson excelled, completing the 20-kilometer (12-mile) course in 53 minutes and 45.2 seconds. She was followed by her teammate, two-time world champion Ebba Andersson, who crossed the finish line 51 seconds later.

Frida Karlsson of Team Sweden celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win gold in the Women’s 10km + 10km Skiathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Photo by Maddie Meyer / Getty Images.

Norwegian skier Heidi Weng took the bronze medal, continuing the dominance of Scandinavian nations, as a Swedish or Norwegian athlete has claimed skiathlon gold in the past five Winter Olympics.

American skier Jessie Diggins, initially a strong contender, experienced a fall that took her out of the medal competition, finishing in eighth place, 2 minutes and 21.1 seconds behind Karlsson. “I’ve had immense support from incredible people back home,” Diggins shared. “I aimed to bring them joy by giving my all on the track, and that’s precisely what I did today. I’m immensely proud of my effort.”

Despite missing out on a medal in this opening race, Diggins remains optimistic about future events: “There are many races ahead. I was particularly pleased with my performance in this skate half. My body feels great, and I am encouraged by this starting point. Various elements have to align perfectly to secure a good race, and this encourages me for what’s to come.”