Day One Delivers Olympic Drama as Five Nations Claim First Medals

Switzerland and Japan Lead Medal Surge

The 2026 Winter Olympics burst into action with spectacular performances across five medal events, setting the tone for what promises to be an unforgettable Games. Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen delivered a sensational performance to win the Alpine skiing men's downhill title and claim the first gold medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games , while Japan's Kimura Kira delivered the goods under pressure with a third-run stunner to secure the Olympic gold in the snowboard Big Air on debut .

Von Allmen became the youngest male downhill Olympic champion since Matthias Mayer in 2014 , stunning pre-race favorite Marco Odermatt who finished fourth. The 24-year-old's victory marked a changing of the guard in Alpine skiing, with Italy's Giovanni Franzoni finishing with the silver medal and Franzoni's teammate, 36-year-old Dominik Paris, taking bronze .

In snowboarding's high-flying spectacle, Kimura stomped a 90.50 score, with a switch backside 1980 spin, on his third and final run to capture the Olympic title with a combined winning total of 179.50 . The dramatic finish saw American teenager Oliver Martin briefly hold a podium position before being bumped to fourth by defending champion Su Yiming of China.

Nordic Nations Dominate Traditional Events

The Nordic countries flexed their winter sports muscle across multiple disciplines. Sweden's Frida Karlsson won the women's 10km + 10km skiathlon in emphatic style, nearly a minute ahead of her nearest rival , with compatriot Ebba Andersson finishing 51 seconds later to win silver in a Swedish one-two finish.

Norway answered back in ski jumping, where Anna Odine Strøm soared to a maiden women's normal hill individual gold medal, upsetting Slovenian ski jumping world champion Nika Prevc after taking the lead in the first round . Strøm then landed the deciding blow with a final jump of 101m for a winning score of 267.3, edging Prevc into second place by just 1.1 points .

Italy Celebrates Birthday Gold

The host nation delivered a moment of pure magic when speed queen Francesca Lollobrigida gave Italy an emphatic first gold medal of Milano Cortina 2026, blasting to victory in the women's speed skating 3000m on her 35th birthday . Lollobrigida clocked a new Olympic record time of 3:54.28, finishing more than two seconds ahead of runner-up Ragne Wiklund of Norway .

The emotional victory completed Lollobrigida's Olympic medal collection, adding gold to her silver and bronze from Beijing 2022. With fans rising to their feet and roaring for her as she competed , the moment epitomized the power of home advantage at the Olympics.

Setting the Stage for Weeks Ahead

Saturday's action showcased the depth of talent across winter sports, with breakthrough performances from young athletes and seasoned veterans claiming long-awaited medals. Team USA saw figure skating star Ilia Malinin — known as the "Quad God" — make his Olympic debut to a deafening roar , while Team USA almost had its first medal when 17-year-old Oliver Martin finished fourth in the men's snowboarding big air final .

The opening day established early medal leaders, with Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and Japan each securing gold medals. As competition intensifies over the coming weeks, these early performances suggest the Milano Cortina Games will deliver the drama and athletic excellence that define Olympic competition. The stage is set for legendary moments as more than 2,900 athletes from over 90 nations vie for glory across 116 medal events.