The first gold medal of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics has been decided, and Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen delivered the performance of a lifetime to capture Olympic glory in the men’s downhill.
On the demanding Stelvio course in Bormio, von Allmen posted a winning time of 1:51.61, mastering one of Alpine skiing’s most difficult tracks. The course lived up to its reputation — bumpy terrain, slick conditions, and inconsistent lighting challenged the world’s best skiers — but the 24-year-old Swiss standout navigated it with remarkable composure. He carved through technical sections with confidence and landed the iconic San Pietro jump smoothly, sealing a historic victory.
The gold medal marks a remarkable chapter in von Allmen’s unlikely journey. At just 17 years old, he nearly walked away from Alpine skiing after the sudden death of his father left his family without the financial means to continue supporting his career. Determined to keep racing, the Boltigen, Switzerland, native launched a crowdfunding campaign to stay in the sport.
Six years later, von Allmen debuted on the World Cup circuit in Aspen in 2023 and quickly proved he belonged among the elite, earning his first podium finish in a super-G race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Known for his aggressive, fearless approach — once described by a Swiss teammate as “crazy” — von Allmen continued his rise by winning downhill gold at the 2025 World Championships, defeating Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt.
Saturday’s Olympic race felt strikingly similar. Odermatt, widely considered the best skier of his generation, briefly held the lead before von Allmen surged past him once again. With the victory, von Allmen became the fifth Swiss man to win Olympic downhill gold, continuing Switzerland’s proud tradition in the sport.
Italy thrilled the home crowd by placing two skiers on the podium. Giovanni Franzoni captured silver (+0.20), while Bormio legend Dominik Paris claimed bronze (+0.50).
Franzoni, a Lombardy native competing on home snow, has emerged as one of the breakout stars of the 2025–26 World Cup season, winning his first two career races — including a dramatic victory on the famed Streif in Kitzbühel. He dedicated his season to friend Matteo Franzoso, who died in a skiing accident last September.
Paris, meanwhile, continued his long-standing dominance in Bormio. The 36-year-old, often called the “King of Bormio,” owns seven career victories on the Stelvio, more than twice as many as any other skier.
Odermatt ultimately finished fourth (+0.70), narrowly missing the podium. For a moment, Switzerland appeared poised for a sweep, with von Allmen, Odermatt, and Alexis Monney occupying the top three spots before the Italian duo surged late. Odermatt remains a strong favorite in the upcoming super-G and giant slalom events.
For Team USA, Kyle Negomir delivered one of the biggest surprises of the race. Starting from bib No. 27, the Olympic rookie from Littleton, Colorado, climbed into 10th place, the top American finish.
Veteran Bryce Bennett placed 13th in what marked his final Olympic appearance. The emotional 33-year-old reflected afterward on how meaningful it was to compete with his wife Kelley and daughter Kate watching in Bormio.
Ryan Cochran-Siegle, the 2022 Olympic silver medalist, finished 18th, nearly two seconds behind von Allmen’s winning time.
But the day belonged to von Allmen — a skier who nearly left the sport as a teenager and now stands atop the Olympic podium, fearless as ever on Alpine skiing’s biggest stage.
