Russian-born Nikita Filipov claimed silver in ski mountaineering, becoming the first Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) to win a medal at this Winter Olympics.
Filipov finished second in the men's individual sprint final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics in Bormio, Italy, on Wednesday, behind Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll. He clocked 2 minutes 35.55 seconds, trailing the winner by 1.52 seconds.
Russian athletes have been competing under neutral status since international sports sanctions were imposed following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. They are barred from representing their country and prohibited from using national flags and symbols. Medals won by these athletes are excluded from national medal counts.
"Everyone knows which country I come from," Filipov said after the race. "I'm happy to have competed at the Olympics and fulfilled my childhood dream."
Ski mountaineering, which involves ascending and descending mountain terrain, was added to the Olympic program in 2021 and made its debut at these Games.