The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics burst into action on February 7, delivering a spectacular first day of competition that saw Olympic records shattered and host nation Italy claim three medals to delight home crowds. Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen captured the very first gold medal of the Games in the men's downhill, while Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida delivered a performance for the ages in speed skating.
Lollobrigida electrified the home crowd by winning the women's 3000-meter speed skating event in a stunning Olympic record time of 3:54.28, smashing the previous mark set by Dutch legend Irene Schouten in Beijing by more than two-and-a-half seconds. The victory came on the Italian skater's 35th birthday, making it an unforgettable celebration as she became the first Italian woman ever to win Olympic speed skating gold.
In the marquee Alpine event, the 24-year-old Swiss sensation von Allmen conquered the treacherous Stelvio course with a time of 1:51.61, reaching speeds of 145 kilometers per hour. The 2025 world downhill champion upset pre-race favorite and teammate Marco Odermatt, who finished fourth. Italy's Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris thrilled home fans by claiming silver and bronze respectively, completing a perfect start for the host nation.
Sweden dominated the women's cross-country skiathlon with Frida Karlsson taking gold and Ebba Andersson earning silver, while Japan swept the men's snowboard big air podium with Kira Kimura winning gold with 179.50 points, followed by compatriot Ryoma Kimata in silver and China's Su Yiming taking bronze.
The women's hockey tournament continued with Team USA cruising to a 5-0 victory over Finland, improving their record to 2-0 in group play. Alex Carpenter opened the scoring with assists from Laila Edwards and Megan Keller, as the Americans demonstrated their gold medal credentials.
The day's events set the stage for anticipated competitions ahead, including figure skating sensation Ilia Malinin's Olympic debut in the men's short program. With Italy already celebrating three medals on opening day and Olympic records falling, the Milano Cortina Games have delivered an electrifying start that promises two weeks of exceptional winter sports action.
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