In a landmark achievement for winter sports, Brazil secured its inaugural medal at the Winter Olympic Games—a gold—courtesy of alpine skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen’s spectacular victory in the men’s giant slalom on Sunday, February 16, 2026.
Braathen delivered a masterful performance, clocking a combined time of 2 minutes and 25 seconds across two rigorous runs down the snowy course. He outperformed Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, the reigning world champion and top-ranked skier globally, by a decisive margin of over half a second.
The giant slalom event demands exceptional technical precision and speed as athletes navigate a serpentine path through a series of gates while descending steep mountain slopes. Competitors complete two descents, with their cumulative times determining the final standings.
Establishing a commanding lead after the initial run with nearly a full second advantage, Braathen encountered a minor error during his second descent that narrowed his lead. Despite this setback, his overall performance remained sufficiently dominant to clinch the historic gold medal.
This victory carries profound significance for Brazil, a nation with limited winter sports tradition that had never before reached the Olympic podium at the Winter Games. Braathen’s personal background adds layers to this narrative: born in Norway to a Norwegian father and Brazilian mother, the champion skier represented Norway internationally until 2023, when he made the strategic decision to compete under the Brazilian flag.
Reflecting on his extraordinary achievement during post-victory interviews, an emotional Braathen expressed overwhelming pride upon hearing Brazil’s national anthem resonate through the Olympic stadium. ‘Having grown up admiring the Brazilian football team and developing my passion for sports through their achievements, hearing that anthem now in this context—amidst mountains, celebrating a Winter Olympic gold for these colors—is beyond anything I could have imagined. I am immensely proud to share this moment,’ he told journalists.