FRANJO VON ALLMEN OF SWITZERLAND CAPTURES MEN’S DOWNHILL GOLD AT MILAN CORTINA GAMES. (PHOTO).

 Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland captures men’s downhill gold at Milan Cortina Games

  Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen claimed Olympic gold in the men’s downhill on Saturday, delivering the first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Games with a commanding run on the famed Stelvio course in Bormio. Racing under clear skies and ideal conditions, the 24-year-old attacked the technical layout with confidence, stopping the clock at 1 minute, 51.61 seconds. His time held up against a strong challenge from Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, who thrilled the home crowd on his way to the silver medal. Veteran Italian star Dominik Paris followed with a powerful run of his own to earn bronze, pushing Swiss favorite Marco Odermatt just off the podium. With the victory, von Allmen kept the Olympic downhill title in Swiss hands, following Beat Feuz’s gold at the 2022 Beijing Games before Feuz’s retirement.

Often overshadowed by Odermatt’s dominance on the World Cup circuit, von Allmen proved he had the edge when it mattered most, drawing on his deep familiarity with the demanding course and the momentum of his world championship downhill victory last winter in Austria. The atmosphere along the course was electric, with packed stands and roaring cheers, especially for the Italian racers. Franzoni’s silver capped a stunning few weeks for the 24-year-old from Manerba del Garda, who has surged onto the international stage with recent World Cup wins, while Paris, racing on a hill where he has seven World Cup victories, earned his first Olympic medal in his fifth Winter Games appearance. The American contingent was led by Kyle Negomir, the 27th starter, who found a fast line and finished 10th for the top U.S. result in a race that showcased both emerging talent and seasoned experience at the highest level of alpine skiing.