My mission is to win Brazil's first Winter Olympic medal - Braathen

Record ID: 2340548

  • Title: My mission is to win Brazil's first Winter Olympic medal - Braathen
  • Date: 7th February 2026
  • Summary: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 7, 2026) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRAZILIAN ALPINE SKIER, LUCAS PINHEIRO BRAATHEN, SAYING: "It's an extension of who I am. And it's my dance floor, right? Where I get to express who I am, my story, what it is I'm here to do and I think the beauty of sports and the true art of sports lies in the authenticity in that short period of time where y
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Alpine skiing Brazil Lucas Pinheiro Braathen Milano Cortina Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics alpine
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Europe,Olympics,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA005353007022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS NOTE - THIS PIECE WAS FIRST FILED BEFORE LUCAS PINHEIRO BRAATHEN WON OLYMPIC GOLD
    When slalom specialist Lucas Pinheiro Braathen announced his return to the World Cup circuit in 2024, his message was simple -- 'The time has come, Brazil. Let's dance.'
    On Saturday (February 14) the Norway-born 25-year-old made good on that vow as he won gold in the giant slalom, Brazil's first-ever medal at a Winter Olympics. In fact, it was the first medal for any South American nation at a winter games.
    After switching his allegiance from Norway to Brazil, the country of his mother Alessandra's birth and where he spent his early childhood, Pinheiro Braathen made it his mission to put the sprawling soccer-mad nation on the winter sports map.
    In November, he gave Brazil its first World Cup victory when he triumphed in a thrilling slalom race in Levi, Finland, beating Olympic champion Clement Noel to top spot.
    After clicking out of his skis that day, he sank to his knees in celebration before draping himself in green and yellow.
    He was rewarded with a reindeer for that win in Lapland but having repeated that performance on Bormio's Stelvio course, the caipirinhas are sure to flow at the Italian resort.
    (Production: Leonardo Benassatto, Lisi Niesner, Tim Hart)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Olympic restriction: Clip cannot be re-published without additional clearances from the IOC.
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