Menu Swiss Skier Franjo von Allmen Claims First Gold Medal of 2026 Winter Olympics in Downhill February 7, 2026 by Mkeshav The first gold medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics has been awarded to Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen, marking an exciting start to the Games. In a thrilling opening event, von Allmen showcased his incredible talent on the legendary Stelvio slope in Bormio, finishing with an impressive time of 1:51.61.

He edged out Italy?s Giovanni Franzoni, who earned the silver medal just twenty hundredths of a second behind, while another Italian, Dominik Paris, took home the bronze, completing the podium on Saturday, February 7.

Everyone was watching Marco Odermatt, the reigning champion who claimed the overall World Cup title for the past four seasons. He was favored to shine once again, aiming for his first Olympic downhill title after securing gold in the giant slalom in Beijing in 2022.

However, it was 24-year-old Franjo von Allmen who best navigated the challenging course, demonstrating his skill and confidence following his recent win in Crans-Montana. He had previously claimed the world championship title in this discipline in 2025, fueling expectations for a standout performance.

Giovanni Franzoni, also 24 and competing in his first Olympic Games, gave a remarkable performance, finishing strong on his home turf. Dominik Paris, competing in his fifth Olympics at the age of 36, finally secured an Olympic medal, finishing just behind Franzoni (+0.50).

Meanwhile, Odermatt, who had a disappointing finish in seventh place during the Beijing downhill, remains a strong contender, leading the overall World Cup standings by just 0.70 seconds.

For the French team, the race took a turn for the worse. Maxence Muzaton, who previously stood on the podium in Kitzbühel, crashed near the bottom of the course. Nils Alphand made a mistake close to the finish, ultimately ending up 22nd, 2.45 seconds behind the leader.

A late addition to the team, Alban Elezi Cannaferina, finished in 1:54.90, securing 27th place with a time of +3.29. Nils Allègre managed to put in the best performance for the French, finishing eighth with a time of 1:52.80 (+1.19).

Categories News Artemis 2: Why Has the Long-Awaited Moon Launch Been Postponed Until Next Month?TNPSC Postpones Group 2 and 2A Mains Exam Due to Technical Issues Leave a Comment Cancel replyComment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.