2026 Olympics Held In Which Country — 2026 olympics held in which country: South African teen Markthaler celebrates Olympic milestone on birthday

2026 olympics held in which country was a search echoed by the setting in which 19-year-old South African alpine skier Lara Markthaler marked a career-defining moment, celebrating her birthday by officially becoming an Olympian on Sunday at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 15. She completed her run at Tofane Alpine Skiing Center and said the experience was unforgettable.

Markthaler's birthday run

Nineteen-year-old Lara Markthaler completed her run at Tofane Alpine Skiing Center and celebrated turning 19 by becoming an Olympian. "What a way to celebrate my 19th birthday, " Markthaler said after completing her run. She finished 47th among the 54 competitors who completed the race.

Course and conditions

Markthaler described the emotional weight of the experience, from the intensity at the start to the reception at the finish area. "It was important to go through the finish line and take this experience in. You start with a big camera in your face at the top and then at the bottom there are all these people, " she said. On the snow she added: "The conditions are amazing. A lot of rollers, which is something we don't usually train on. I'm so glad I made it down. It's incredible. I am still shaking. Now I need a hot chocolate. "

2026 Olympics Held In Which Country

Markthaler highlighted a distinctive element of the course at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games: a jump into the finish area. "It was unexpected, well, not unexpected, because I saw it with the others, but usually GS runs don't have any jumps, " she explained. "So, this was a little bit different, but I actually felt kind of OK going over. Maybe in second run, I can go a bit faster and I might jump a bit further. "

Racing alongside Federica Brignone

Competing in the same field as Italy's first-run leader Federica Brignone added to the moment for Markthaler. "I know Federica a little bit. I met her a few days ago at a Rossignol photo-shoot, " Markthaler said, referring to the ski manufacturer Rossignol. "I got a photo with her. Now I can say I raced alongside her. I saw her at the top. She's so incredible for what she's done in the past year, coming back from a double leg fracture. "

South Africa's historic team

Beyond her personal achievement, Markthaler stressed the broader significance for South Africa. "For me, it's really important to put South Africa on the ski racing map, " she said. "We're only five in the whole South Africa team at this Winter Olympics and it is a historic team for us this year, the biggest team that has ever been sent to the Winter Olympics. "

First female alpine skier

Markthaler said making history as her nation's first female Olympic alpine skier is an honor she hopes will have lasting impact. "And for me, being the first female alpine skier at the Olympics for South Africa is a very big honor, " she said. "I'm glad that I can introduce skiing to South Africans, because we have a ski resort - Tiffindell. Not a lot of South Africans know about it, but I hope I can maybe even just inspire one young girl to start skiing. That would be a great accomplishment for me. "

For those wondering "2026 olympics held in which country, " the name of the event where Markthaler became an Olympian is the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, with the competition taking place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Markthaler's run on Feb. 15 at Tofane Alpine Skiing Center and her comments capture both the personal milestone and the broader significance for South African winter sport.

Markthaler left the course still shaken by the experience but buoyed by the finish-line reception, a photograph with Brignone and the sense of having opened a new chapter for skiing back home.