Switzerland wins first gold medal of Milan Cortina Olympics

Swiss world champion Franjo von Allmen has taken home the first gold medal of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, beating out Italian favorite and Bormio specialist Dominik Paris in the men’s downhill by fifty-hundredths of a second.

The 24-year-old skier, competing in his first Olympics, held the top of the podium for most of the final at Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio on Saturday morning. He finished his run in 1:51.61, reaching top speeds of 83.77 mph in the final stretch of his run. 

Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine skiing men’s downhill race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy. The race took place on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

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The host nation picked up two medals to round out the podium. 

Italian skier Giovanni Franzoni, 24, earned a silver medal in his first Winter Olympics, finishing two-tenths of a second behind von Allmen. Paris, a record six-time World Cup winner in Bormio, earned a bronze medal in what is his fifth Olympics.

Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen, gold medalist in the alpine skiing men’s downhill, waves as he arrives for the medal ceremony, flanked by silver medalist Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, left, and bronze medalist Italy’s Dominik Paris, at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy. The medal ceremony took place on Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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The Americans fell short in the first medal event of Milan Cortina. 

Kyle Negomir finished in the top 10 in his first Olympic appearance, three-time Olympians Bryce Bennett and Ryan Cochran-Siegle finished 13th and 18th, respectively; and first-time Olympian Sam Morse finished 19th.

Kyle Negomir speeds down the course during the alpine skiing men’s downhill race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy. The race took place on Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

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Team USA will have another opportunity to medal on Saturday in the women’s cross country skiing skiathlon, women’s 3000-meter speed skating, women’s normal hill ski jumping and the men’s snowboard Big Air final. 

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