Swiss Skier Franjo von Allmen Secures Double Gold in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Debut
Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen has made a spectacular start to his first Winter Olympics, clinching two gold medals within just three days at the Milan Cortina 2026 Games. His remarkable performance has positioned him as one of the standout athletes of the event, showcasing his versatility and skill across different disciplines.
Team Combined Victory Seals Second Gold for von Allmen
On Monday, von Allmen partnered with Tanguy Nef to win the team combined event, which was making its Olympic debut. This victory followed his earlier gold medal in the downhill competition on Saturday, marking a rapid ascent in his Olympic career. The Swiss-2 team initially faced challenges, sitting in fourth place after von Allmen's downhill run. However, Nef's exceptional performance on a rutted slalom course on the Stelvio allowed them to overcome a 0.42-second deficit, posting a combined time of 2 minutes, 44.04 seconds to secure the gold.
The silver medal was shared between the Swiss-1 team, featuring Marco Odermatt and Loic Meillard, and the Austrian-1 team, comprising Vincent Kriechmayr and Manuel Feller. Both teams finished 0.99 seconds behind the winners, highlighting the intense competition in this new Olympic event.
Eileen Gu Narrowly Misses Gold in Freeski Slopestyle
In another highlight of the Games, Swiss freeskier Mathilde Gremaud retained her Olympic slopestyle title, narrowly defeating Eileen Gu for the second consecutive Winter Olympics. Gremaud scored 86.96 from her best jump, while Gu took silver with a score of 86.58, a margin of just 0.38 points. This closely mirrored their previous encounter in Beijing, where Gremaud won by 0.33 points.
Gremaud, who now boasts a gold, silver, and bronze from her Olympic career, described her winning run as "the best run so far of my life." Megan Oldham of Canada secured the bronze medal. Gu, a prominent figure in the sport, still has opportunities to claim gold in the big air and halfpipe events later in the Games.
Other Notable Performances at the Milan Cortina Olympics
The Netherlands celebrated its first gold medal of the Games, thanks to Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam, who won the women's 1,000 meters. Her fiancé, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, was in attendance to witness her victory, with Leerdam blowing kisses toward him after securing the gold. The event resulted in a Dutch one-two finish, with Femke Kok taking silver and defending Olympic champion Miho Takagi of Japan earning bronze.
These achievements underscore the high level of competition and dramatic moments unfolding at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, with athletes from various nations making their mark on the global stage.
