Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil wins gold at the Giant Slalom race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on February 14, 2026 in Bormio, Italy. Photo: CFP

By Brasil 247 - Brazil secured its first-ever medal at a Winter Olympics on Saturday in Bormio, in the Italian Alps near the Swiss border, as alpine skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won gold in the men's giant slalom at the Milan-Cortina Games, according to a report by Lincoln Chaves of Brazil's public broadcaster EBC.

Braathen posted a combined time of 2:25.00 over two runs to finish 0.58 seconds ahead of Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, who took silver, while Swiss skier Loic Meillard claimed bronze. In giant slalom, athletes complete two descents on a course marked by snow "gates," and the winner is determined by the lowest aggregate time.

Braathen led after the first run with 1:13.92. He recorded the 11th-fastest second run at 1:11.08, but his earlier advantage proved enough to remain ahead of Odermatt and Meillard and secure the gold.

Born in Oslo to a Brazilian mother, the 25-year-old previously represented Norway until 2023, when he announced he would stop competing. He competed at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics as a Norwegian athlete but did not finish the events he entered. In 2024, he reversed the retirement decision and approached Brazil; the following year, he began representing his mother's country, earning landmark World Cup podiums that culminated in Saturday's breakthrough victory in Bormio.

Before Braathen's result, Brazil's best finish at a Winter Olympics was achieved by snowboarder Isabel Clark, who placed ninth in snowboard cross at the Turin Games in Italy 20 years ago.

Brazil also had another competitor in Saturday's giant slalom: Giovanni Ongaro, born in Clusone, Italy, to a Brazilian mother, placed 31st with a combined time of 2:34.15.

On Monday, February 16, at 6 a.m. in Brasília time, the slalom event is scheduled, a discipline similar to giant slalom but with a shorter distance between the poles—about 13 meters. Brazil is set to be represented by Braathen, Ongaro, and Rio-born Christian Soevik, who has a Norwegian father and a Brazilian mother.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on February 14, 2026)