2026 年冬奥会高山滑雪：Brazil's Lucas Braathen Wins Latin America's First Winter Olympic Gold
On February 13, 2026 (ET), Lucas Braathen, born in Norway but competing for Brazil, captured the men's giant slalom gold in Milan—marking the first Winter Olympic gold medal in history for Latin America. The victory capped a dramatic comeback for an athlete who changed national allegiance and returned to the World Cup circuit last season.
Dominant performance seals historic milestone
Braathen produced a near-flawless first run that set the tone for the event and left him with a commanding advantage going into the final. His combined time of 2: 25. 00 secured the top step on the podium, with Switzerland's Marco Odermatt finishing second and Loic Meillard taking bronze. The margin from Braathen to his nearest challenger was 0. 95 seconds—an unusually large gap in giant slalom at this level.
The result has significance beyond an individual title. Braathen's gold is the first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal claimed by an athlete representing a Latin American nation, and it is also the first Winter Olympic gold for Brazil. In the mountain arena where winter sport traditions run deep, his win stands out as a breakthrough moment for nations outside the usual alpine powerhouses.
Nationality change and return to competition explained
Born in Norway to a Brazilian mother, Braathen's switch in representation followed a public split with his home federation. He stepped away from the World Cup circuit during the 2023–24 season and re-emerged in October 2024 wearing Brazil's colors. Braathen has described the move as a "major change" that was "absolutely necessary" for his career and personal direction.
After the race he reflected on the surreal feeling of standing atop an Olympic podium with the Brazilian flag and anthem playing amid the Alpine peaks. He said the moment was difficult to fully grasp, but the reality was unmistakable: he was an Olympic gold medalist. He added that he hopes his path will inspire Brazilians and others to "be who you can be, " citing the unconditional support and love he feels from his mother's homeland.
Rivals take positives as Swiss teammates shine
Odermatt, who could not close the almost one-second deficit from the opening run, nonetheless left Milan with a silver and a strong overall Games résumé. He noted satisfaction at coming away with a medal in giant slalom as part of a broader Olympic campaign that included a bronze in the super-G and a close call in the downhill.
Meillard's bronze, combined with Odermatt's contributions, also helped Switzerland claim silver in the newly added mixed-team alpine event. In that combined format, the Swiss pairing split responsibilities—one athlete handling the speed runs while the other focused on technical gates—demonstrating depth that kept Switzerland among the medals despite individual upsets in the men's giant slalom.
For Braathen, the result is the culmination of a risky decision and a return to form on the sport's biggest stage. For winter sports in Latin America and Brazil's Olympic history, it represents a watershed achievement that will reverberate long after the slopes in Milan have been cleared.
