Carpenter-Turned-Skier Von Allmen Claims First Gold at Milan-Cortina 2026

Swiss alpine skier Franjo von Allmen, 24, claimed the first gold medal of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The first-time Olympian announced his arrival on the world stage with the victory.

Von Allmen won the men's downhill event at Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio, Italy, on February 7, clocking 1 minute 51.61 seconds.

Born in 2001, von Allmen has established himself as one of the sport's dominant forces. He secured five World Cup downhill victories across the 2025 and 2026 seasons and won the world championship in Austria last February.

"It feels like a movie. It's surreal. I can't even put into words what this means," von Allmen said after his victory. "Can you imagine anything better than winning gold in your first Olympic race? It will probably take a few days to sink in."

His remarkable life story drew immediate attention following the race. After losing his father suddenly at age 17, von Allmen faced financial hardship and spent four years training as a carpenter while pursuing his skiing career. He also funded his training through crowdfunding, a story that resonated widely.

AFP reported that von Allmen "did not go through an elite ski training school" and "still spends his summers working on construction sites."

Italy's Giovanni Franzoni took silver with a time of 1:51.81, while compatriot Dominik Paris claimed bronze at 1:52.11. Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, who leads the men's overall World Cup standings this season with three downhill wins, three giant slalom victories, and two super-G titles, finished fourth in 1:52.31.