Brazilian skier makes history at 2026 Winter Olympics

For the first time in the history of the Winter Olympics, an athlete from South America has heard their anthem played during a medal ceremony.

Brazilian downhill skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen delivered in the Giant Slalom on Saturday, finishing his pair of runs more than a half-second ahead of the Swiss pair of Marco Odermatt and Loïc Meillard to take the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It marks the first gold medal in the Winter Games not just for Brazil, but for the entire continent.

Pinheiro Braathen was actually born in Norway, and began his skiing career competing for his birth country. But a split from Norway over sponsorship deals led to Pinheiro Braathen separating from his birth nation, and announcing in 2024 that he would compete for Brazil, where his mother was born.

“The time has come, Brazil. Let’s Dance,” Braathen wrote in Portuguese at the time.

When his moment came on Saturday, he delivered. His first of two runs gave him a lead of nearly a second over Odermatt, and on his second run Pinheiro Braathen came across the line in gold medal position:

Pinheiro Braathen was overcome with emotion at hearing the national anthem on the podium:

After the anthem, however, Pinheiro Braathen celebrated in perfect fashion.

With a samba:

What a moment.