Young Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen wrote his name into history books on Saturday, claiming Switzerland's first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics by dominating the men's Olympic downhill event.
Von Allmen lit up the slopes at Bormio, clocking a blistering time of 1:51.61 to leave his competitors in his wake. The speed demon sped down the Stelvio course, which is widely regarded as one of the toughest courses on the circuit, reaching breathtaking speeds of 145km/h.
Franjo von Allmen's victory was sweet revenge for the Swiss team, who were forced to settle for bronze medals at last year's World Championships in Austria. However, with this Olympic gold medal, the team has sent a powerful message of intent and dominance.
In contrast, Marco Odermatt, von Allmen's teammate and pre-race favourite, could only finish fourth, ending his hopes of adding another medal to his growing tally. Meanwhile, Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris took second and third places respectively, with the Italian duo putting up a valiant fight but ultimately falling short.
Franjo von Allmen was visibly ecstatic about his historic win, describing it as "a movie moment". When asked for the secret to his success, he humbly replied that his key to victory lay in enjoying the sport and trying not to get too stressed out.
The 24-year-old's win also marked a milestone for Switzerland's Olympic downhill team, who have now claimed their fifth gold medal in the discipline since 1948. With this dominant display, they look set to make a strong statement at this year's Games.
As the Swiss men's team prepare to tackle the super-G event on Wednesday, they will be looking to build on this momentum and secure even more success for themselves.
Von Allmen lit up the slopes at Bormio, clocking a blistering time of 1:51.61 to leave his competitors in his wake. The speed demon sped down the Stelvio course, which is widely regarded as one of the toughest courses on the circuit, reaching breathtaking speeds of 145km/h.
Franjo von Allmen's victory was sweet revenge for the Swiss team, who were forced to settle for bronze medals at last year's World Championships in Austria. However, with this Olympic gold medal, the team has sent a powerful message of intent and dominance.
In contrast, Marco Odermatt, von Allmen's teammate and pre-race favourite, could only finish fourth, ending his hopes of adding another medal to his growing tally. Meanwhile, Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris took second and third places respectively, with the Italian duo putting up a valiant fight but ultimately falling short.
Franjo von Allmen was visibly ecstatic about his historic win, describing it as "a movie moment". When asked for the secret to his success, he humbly replied that his key to victory lay in enjoying the sport and trying not to get too stressed out.
The 24-year-old's win also marked a milestone for Switzerland's Olympic downhill team, who have now claimed their fifth gold medal in the discipline since 1948. With this dominant display, they look set to make a strong statement at this year's Games.
As the Swiss men's team prepare to tackle the super-G event on Wednesday, they will be looking to build on this momentum and secure even more success for themselves.
! Franjo von Allmen is a total beast on the slopes 
! I mean, 145km/h? That's crazy fast! 
The way he dominated the course was pure skill and focus 
. Congrats to him for making Switzerland proud and bringing home that gold medal 
. I'm loving this Olympic vibe so far 
. Marco Odermatt may have had a tough day, but you can't deny Franjo's talent 
. Bring on the super-G event! Can't wait to see what the Swiss team has in store for us 
! He totally deserved that gold medal, I mean, 1:51.61 is crazy fast 
. The Italian guys put up a good fight, but you can't beat the speed of the Swiss machine 
. It's awesome to see the team finally bring home that first gold after last year's World Championships disappointment 
. And Franjo's humble attitude is so cool, enjoying the sport and not getting too stressed out 
. He's living his dream and inspiring a whole nation! 
The sheer velocity of Franjo von Allmen's performance is nothing short of mesmerizing! His 1:51.61 clocking is a testament to his exceptional skill and physical prowess 
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. Their impressive gold medal performance bodes well for the upcoming super-G event, and I'm excited to see how they'll continue to build on this momentum 
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what a legend! 
Von Allmen's win is pure stoke! 
Now let's see if he can keep it up in the super-G event 
. The fact that he's 24 years old and already got Olympic gold is mind-blowing, what's next? 
I love how humble he is too, enjoying the sport and not stressing about it, that's the right attitude! 
the Italian guys definitely showed up strong. I love how Franjo just rolled with his nerves and enjoyed the ride 
he's a total inspiration for all the young skiers out there. The fact that Switzerland got its first gold in Milan-Cortina 2026 is huge 
can't wait to see what the rest of the Olympics hold! 
. And to see him be so humble about it too, saying he enjoyed the sport and didn't stress out... it's really inspiring 
It's like he was born for it! Anyway, can't wait to see what else the Swiss team has up their sleeves, especially in the super-G event on Wednesday 
but his secret to success? Not getting stressed out 
. Can't help but love the humility of this young Swiss skier 
it was like he was born for that course 
his speed was insane 145km/h is crazy lol 
Marco Odermatt was a bit unlucky but Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris gave it their all 
sounds like he's got the right mindset for the Olympics 
! And Franjo's secret to success? Enjoying the sport and not stressing out? That's sound advice for us students trying to ace our exams too 
. Marco had some good hopes but fourth place still isn't that bad 
. The way he sped down the Stelvio course was straight fire 
... simple yet effective! 
! I'm beyond thrilled for him & the entire Swiss team 
, those points will add up & he'll be back on the podium soon 
! Giovanni & Dominik giving it their all is super inspiring too 
, can't wait to see what the rest of this Olympics holds for them