In Bormio, Italy, on Saturday, Franjo von Allmen delivered a standout performance to capture the gold medal in the men's downhill skiing event, heralding the first Olympic medal awarded at the Milan Cortina Games. Achieving this feat in his first Olympic race, von Allmen, aged 24, clocked a time of 1 minute, 51.61 seconds on the demanding Stelvio course, successfully defending the Swiss legacy in this discipline.
Von Allmen's journey to Olympic champion was far from assured. During his teenage years, following the passing of his father, the young athlete faced significant financial hurdles that cast doubt on his future in the sport. A crowdfunding initiative provided essential support, enabling him to continue competing and eventually secure a place on Switzerland's national C team. His promising talent was further evidenced by his performance at the 2022 junior world championships in Canada, where he claimed three silver medals, including one in downhill.
Reflecting on his past struggles, von Allmen remarked through a translator, "For me that chapter is closed. I prefer to concentrate on what’s yet to come and what’s happening now."
The race day offered perfect weather conditions, a factor that complemented the skier’s skillful navigation of the challenging downhill stretch. Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni finished just 0.20 seconds behind von Allmen to win silver, while his compatriot, the experienced Dominik Paris, took bronze, edging out Swiss favorite Marco Odermatt from the podium.
Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway’s 2018 Olympic downhill champion and current coach of Lindsey Vonn, identified von Allmen as a strong contender ahead of the Games, citing the young Swiss's impressive form demonstrated in recent competitions leading up to the event. Von Allmen’s competitive relationship with Odermatt is marked by mutual respect and friendly rivalry, with both sharing yet withholding some course insights during the race preparations. Ultimately, von Allmen's strategy on the demanding Stelvio course proved superior.
Von Allmen’s momentum on the international circuit includes a win in downhill at the world championships in Austria last year. He attributes part of his success to the technical expertise of his ski technician, who previously worked with Beat Feuz, the 2022 Olympic downhill champion.
When asked about his Olympic victory, von Allmen called the experience "like a movie," expressing that beginning the Games with a gold medal felt incredible and hard to put into words.
The event drew an enthusiastic crowd, with home spectators proudly cheering for their countrymen, Italy’s Franzoni and Paris. Franzoni, hailing from Manerba del Garda—approximately 200 kilometers from Bormio—has enjoyed a breakthrough season, claiming World Cup victories in super-G at Wengen and downhill at Kitzbühel within the span of about three weeks before these Olympics.
Franzoni expressed admiration for Paris, acknowledging him as a mentor and celebrating the honor of sharing an Olympic podium with the veteran skier. Paris, competing in his fifth Winter Games, praised the Stelvio course's difficulty and beauty. After earning his first Olympic medal, he humorously noted his parallel career as vocalist of a heavy metal band, “Rise of Voltage,” adding a lighthearted contrast to his skiing prowess.
Among the American competitors, Kyle Negomir secured the highest finish for the U.S. team, placing tenth after making a fast run as the 27th racer on course. Negomir stated his objective was to perform with no regrets and expressed satisfaction with his effort.