Milan Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – The 2026 Winter Olympics are underway, with the first medals awarded just hours after Friday’s opening ceremony. Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen claimed gold in the men’s downhill skiing final,continuing a recent streak of success after his world championship win in 2025. Italy secured the remaining podium spots,marking a strong start for the host nation in the highly anticipated two-week competition.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina d’Ampezzo officially kicked off Friday with an opening ceremony, marking the start of two weeks of competition across a range of winter sports. While Polish fans eagerly anticipate success for their national team, the first medals have already been awarded in the men’s downhill skiing event.
First Medals Awarded as Games Begin
Switzerland and Italy claimed the first medals of the Games, with Franjo von Allmen taking gold. Giovanni Franzoni of Italy secured the silver, and his teammate, Dominik Paris, rounded out the podium with a bronze medal.
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Thirty-six skiers started the downhill race, with 34 finishing. It’s been eight years since a Polish skier competed in an Olympic downhill event, with Michał Kałwa (2006) and Michał Kłusaka (2018) being the last to represent Poland in the 21st century, noted Łukasz Gagaska, who covers Olympic sports on X.
Von Allmen’s victory makes him the second consecutive Swiss skier to win gold in this event. Beat Feuz won the title four years ago, and Didier Defago claimed the top spot in 2010, continuing Switzerland’s dominance in men’s downhill.
Notably, World Cup leader Marco Odermatt finished off the podium. This win adds to a successful run for von Allmen, who was crowned world champion in 2025.
The Olympic Games will continue through February 22. Stay tuned to Sport.pl and our mobile app for full coverage of the action. Correspondents from Sport.pl are on location in Italy, and the daily “Studio Cortina” program, hosted by Paweł Wilkowicz and Piotr Chłystek, will provide in-depth analysis of the Games.
Olympic Winter Games 2026 – Alpine Skiing, Men’s Downhill Final:
- 1. Franjo von Allmen (Switzerland) 1:51.61
- 2. Giovanni Franzoni (Italy) 1:51.81
- 3. Dominik Paris (Italy) 1:52.1
