Highlights from the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics’ Opening Day

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics officially kicked off with exciting competitions, awarding the first set of medals on a bustling Saturday.

Men’s Downhill Skiing: A Swiss Triumph

In Bormio, an ideal setting for winter sports, Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen captured the first gold medal of the games. Racing down the demanding course, von Allmen posted a time of 1 minute and 51.61 seconds. His speed and precision ensured him victory over Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, who claimed the silver, trailing by just 0.2 seconds. Meanwhile, Franzoni’s fellow Italian skier, Dominik Paris, secured the bronze, leaving Marco Odermatt of Switzerland off the podium.

The top U.S. skier in the men’s downhill was Kyle Negomir, who managed to clinch the 10th spot. Reflecting on his performance, Negomir said, “My goal was to put down something where I could stand in the finish and say I didn’t have any regrets.”

Sweden Dominates Women’s Skiathlon

Team Sweden showcased its strength in the women’s 10km+10km skiathlon at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme, securing both gold and silver. Frida Karlsson conquered the 20-kilometer route in just 53 minutes and 45.2 seconds, celebrating her victory with joy. Her teammate, Ebba Andersson, who has twice been the reigning world champion, followed 51 seconds later to earn the silver medal.

Norway’s Heidi Weng joined them on the podium, winning bronze. Notably, either a Swedish or Norwegian athlete has taken the skiathlon gold in the last five Winter Olympics.

Although Team USA’s Jessie Diggins demonstrated resilience despite an early fall that affected her medal chances, she completed the race in eighth place, 2 minutes and 21.1 seconds behind Karlsson. “I’ve had so much love and so much support from so many amazing people back home,” Diggins said, emphasizing her determination and pride in her performance.

Despite not medalling in the race, Diggins remained optimistic about her future efforts in the games. “Oh, there’s so many races to go,” she added. “I was really proud of this skate half. I’m really encouraged by where my body is at. There’s so many variables that need to come together to have a good race.”