Swiss Downhill Skier Clinches First Gold of the 2026 Winter Olympics

Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen claimed the first gold medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games on Saturday, powering to victory in the men’s downhill at the iconic Stelvio course. The 24-year-old rising star, fresh off his 2025 world downhill title, delivered a masterful run in picture-perfect conditions, finishing in 1 minute, 51.61 seconds. He edged out Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni by a narrow 0.20 seconds, who won silver, thrilling the home crowd.

Italy’s Dominik Paris, 36, won the bronze medal after performing well on a course he knew from his previous World Cup victories at this location. Paris displaced Switzerland’s star Marco Odermatt from the podium.

Von Allmen displayed his athletic abilities on the 3.2-kilometer track, which featured rough surfaces, slippery conditions, and technical challenges, by executing precise turns and large jumps. His victory extends Switzerland's winning streak in Olympic downhill events, which began with Beat Feuz's 2022 gold medal win before his retirement.

This was the first event of the medal count for these Games. The crowd was very enthusiastic about the win of the Swiss and the success of the Italians. It was very exciting to watch both groups of young athletes and many of the older competitors work together to put on such an exciting start to the Winter Games.

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