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Alpine skiing-Brazil's Pinheiro Braathen makes history with giant slalom gold
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen made history as the first South American to win a Winter Olympic gold, beating the reigning champion by 0.58 seconds on Italy's Stelvio course.
- On February 14, 2026, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won the Olympic giant slalom at the Stelvio course in Bormio, earning South America’s first Winter Games medal.
- After quitting the Norwegian team in 2023 over a sponsorship dispute, Braathen returned under the Brazilian flag in October 2024 and has since achieved nine World Cup podiums and Brazil's first victory.
- Timon Haugan said, `When he finished his first run, I said to my coach that's for sure the leader of today`, after Lucas Pinheiro Braathen's 1:13.92 run gave him a 0.95-second lead, which he preserved to win by 0.58 seconds.
- Fans at Casa Brasil and in Bormio celebrated with samba as Braathen danced and embraced his father, with Lula congratulating him on his historic victory.
- The achievement signals broader change for nontraditional winter-sport nations, as Lucas Pinheiro Braathen said `This can be a point of inspiration for the next generation of children, showing them that nothing is impossible`.
230 Articles
230 Articles
A flamboyant and iconic figure, Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen offered South America his first Olympic title at the Winter Games thanks to his victory in the giant on Saturday in Bormio. ...
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was condemned to success by the Norwegian Association after his sacking, so as not to be regarded as an art figure. The dazzling 25-year-old redeems himself with gold in the giant slalom.
Latin America Sports Daily for Sunday, February 15, 2026
Brazil has its first Winter Olympics gold medal — and South America has its first Winter Olympics medal, period. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the samba-dancing, “Vamos Dançar”-helmeted ski racer, crushed the men’s giant slalom at the Stelvio on Valentine’s Day, beating defending champion Marco Odermatt by 0.58 seconds. It was the crowning moment of a Day […]
Brazil's Pinheiro Braathen wins gold, and South America's first Winter Olympics medal
Once a racer for Norway, Pinheiro Braathen switched to Brazil, his mother's home country. In winning the Olympic giant slalom on Saturday, he earned South America's first medal at a Winter Games.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen races to victory in the giant slalom of Bormio and writes history. He starts for Brazil, his mother's home country. There his triumph inspires enthusiasm.
An Olympics of firsts: Brazil and Kazakhstan claim surprise gold medals
BORMIO, Italy — Brazil boasts beaches and sunshine, not ski slopes and snow. Its single-name athletic legends tend to play soccer, the country’s defining sport. So when Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, an exuberant alpine skier, won gold for Brazil in the men’s giant slalom race Saturday, he not only made history as the first medal winner from South America at a Winter Olympics, but also rewrote the definition of what a Brazilian athlete could be. The 2…
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