Milan Cortina 2026 Kicks Off With Italian Medal Haul and Swiss Gold

MILAN — Host nation Italy struck early at the Milan Cortina Olympics, collecting gold, silver and bronze on the opening day of medal competition, while Switzerland’s Franjo Von Allmen claimed the Games’ first gold. Italian speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida electrified the home crowd by winning the women’s 3,000 meters, becoming the first Italian champion of these Games. On the Alpine hill, Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris added downhill silver and bronze, ensuring the tricolor flew repeatedly on Saturday.

Von Allmen topped the marquee men’s downhill, denying the hosts a sweep but setting a high bar for the week ahead. No Americans reached the podium, yet Lindsey Vonn turned heads with a smooth second training run ahead of Sunday’s women’s downhill. The 41-year-old, skiing on a titanium-reinforced right knee and a freshly ruptured ACL, declared on social media that she will race “ACL or no,” capping her storied Olympic career with one last charge.

Elsewhere on the mountain, Mikaela Shiffrin arrived for her fourth Olympics unfazed by Beijing’s disappointment, narrowing her focus to slalom, giant slalom and the team combined as she chases a fourth Olympic medal. With 108 World Cup wins already in the record books, the American star said the privilege of racing under pressure “is exactly why we do this.”

Off the snow, scheduling quirks created headaches: the Super Bowl kicks off at 12:30 a.m. Monday in Italy, forcing athletes like USA Luge’s Zack DiGregorio to choose between sleep and supporting his beloved New England Patriots. Some Olympians plan groggy midnight viewing parties; others will wake to box scores, proving that even on sport’s biggest stage, time zones remain undefeated.