BORMIO (Italy), Feb 15 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen claimed the men's giant slalom gold at Milan-Cortina 2026 on Saturday, securing South America's first-ever Winter Olympics medal, reported Xinhua.
The 25-year-old clocked a combined time of two minutes 25.00 seconds, finishing 0.58 seconds ahead of defending champion Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, who took silver. Odermatt's teammate Loic Meillard claimed bronze.
Pinheiro Braathen dominated the first run with a time of 1:13.92, which proved vital as heavy snow began to fall at the Stelvio Ski Centre before the final heat.
Despite a challenging second run of 1:11.08 that ranked 11th in the session, his initial lead was enough to clinch the title.
"At a stage like the Winter Olympic Games, there is no margin for safety," Pinheiro Braathen said of his high-risk performance. "You are on this limit, balancing between falls and good turns. I think it's the beauty of alpine skiing – so intense, so pure."
The victory was a deeply emotional one for Pinheiro Braathen, who was born to a Norwegian-Brazilian family and previously represented Norway before a brief retirement and a comeback in 2024 under the Brazilian flag.
After collapsing in the snow upon seeing his winning time, he described the national anthem as the pinnacle of his day.
"I must say the anthem is definitely an honourable moment. I didn't grow up as a skier; I grew up as a football player. That was my introduction to sports," he said, emphasising his emotional connection to Brazilian sports. "I've tried over and over again to put words into what it is that I'm feeling, and that is simply impossible."
Reflecting on his legacy, the champion hoped his journey would resonate beyond the slopes. "What I'm feeling right now is that there is an internal sun inside me that is shining so bright. It is the very light that brought me to be the fastest in the world today. And I really hope that this light can shine on others, inspire them in a way that they are to follow their own light, their own heart, and to trust in who they are."
Switzerland's Thomas Tumler finished fourth, 0.28 seconds off the podium, while China's Liu Xiaochen placed 58th.
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