2026 Olympics Held In Which Country — Lara Markthaler’s Birthday Run in Milan-Cortina and What It Means for South African Skiers

Here’s the part that matters: the question 2026 olympics held in which country draws a direct, personal answer in Lara Markthaler’s birthday run — this moment landed in Italy and immediately shifted the spotlight to South African winter sport. The 19-year-old celebrated becoming an Olympian at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, and that instant will be felt first by her tiny national team and young South African athletes who may now consider skiing as a real option.

2026 Olympics Held In Which Country — a milestone framed for South African athletes

Markthaler’s achievement lands as a defining moment for a narrowly sized national delegation: South Africa sent five athletes to these Winter Games, the largest team the country has ever sent. Becoming the nation’s first female Olympic alpine skier places a spotlight on places back home that few associate with skiing — including the Tiffindell resort — and she hopes the visibility will nudge at least one young South African girl toward the sport. The milestone is both personal and symbolic for the squad described as historic for the country.

• 19 years old and an official Olympian after completing her run in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
• South Africa’s Winter Olympics delegation counts five athletes, the biggest the country has ever sent.
• Markthaler holds the distinction of being South Africa’s first female Olympic alpine skier.
• She singled out Tiffindell as a local resort that could help introduce skiing to more South Africans.

What’s easy to miss is how concentrated the impact is: for a team of five, a single finish, image or interview can change perceptions back home more than a mid-pack result might in larger delegations.

Event details and the Tofane run in Cortina d'Ampezzo

On Feb. 15 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Markthaler completed her run at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Center and placed 47th among the 54 competitors who finished. The course featured unexpected elements for her — she noted many rollers and a jump into the finish area, features she said are uncommon on giant slalom tracks. She described the sensory extremes of the race: a large camera at the start, the intensity of the run itself, and the reception at the finish where friends were waiting with a banner. Shaking after the descent, she mentioned craving a hot chocolate and suggested she might push harder and jump further in a second run.

If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up, it’s because the physical quirks of the Tofane course — rollers and a finishing jump — were singled out by Markthaler as elements she rarely trains on, underscoring the gap between her usual preparation and what the Olympic venue demanded.

Who she raced alongside and a comeback story she noticed

Markthaler competed in the same field as Italy’s first-run leader, Federica Brignone. She had encountered Brignone a few days earlier at a Rossignol photo shoot and had a photo with her; during the event she saw Brignone at the top of the course. Markthaler also referenced Brignone’s return from a double leg fracture in the past year as part of what made racing alongside her special.

Reactions, aspirations and a national angle

Markthaler emphasized the broader significance of her Olympic appearance for South Africa: she wants to place South Africa on the ski racing map. Noting that not many South Africans know about Tiffindell, she framed her role as potentially inspirational — even one youngster beginning to ski would count as an accomplishment. The team’s size and her status as a first female alpine Olympian for her country were described as historic elements of this delegation.

Summary points to carry forward

• Location and date: Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy on Feb. 15 at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
• Venue specifics: Tofane Alpine Skiing Center featured rollers and a finish-area jump that stood out to competitors.
• Result: Markthaler finished 47th of the 54 who completed the race.
• Team context: South Africa’s five-athlete delegation is the country’s largest ever at a Winter Olympics; Markthaler is the first female Olympic alpine skier for South Africa.
• Personal notes: celebrated on her 19th birthday, met and raced alongside Italy’s first-run leader, and hopes to inspire future South African skiers.

The real test will be whether this visibility converts into more participation back home; for now the facts are compact and clear, and they all sit on one line: the 2026 olympics held in which country? Italy — and for a young South African athlete the setting became a personal launch point.