2026 Winter Olympics: Check Best Photos From Day 1 Events At Cortina

The 2026 Winter Games are off to a promising start for host nation Italy with gold, silver and bronze on the first day of medal events. But it was Switzerland’s Franjo Von Allmen who captured the first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics on Saturday. There were no Americans on the podium, though Lindsey Vonn impressed in her second training run ahead of the women’s downhill on Sunday. This gallery showcases top photos from Day 1 of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics taken by Associated Press photographers.

Updated on: 8 February 2026 2:18 pm

Milan Cortina Olympics Alpine Skiing Franjo von Allmen

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy. | Photo: AP/Gabriele Facciotti

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Milan Cortina Olympics Cross Country Jessie Diggins

Jessie Diggins of the United States, center, and others start in the cross country skiing women's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Matthias Schrader

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Milan Cortina Olympics Cross Country Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson

Frida Karlsson, right, and Ebba Andersson, both of Sweden, celebrate after finishing first and second in the cross-country skiing women's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Matthias Schrader

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Milan Cortina Olympics Freestyle Skiing Julius Forer

Austria's Julius Forer crashes during men's freestyle skiing slopestyle qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy. | Photo: AP/Lindsey Wasson

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Milan Cortina Olympics Alpine Skiing Lindsey Vonn

United States' Lindsey Vonn in action during alpine ski women's downhill training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Robert F. Bukaty

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Milan Cortina Olympics Ski Jumping Meghann Wadsak

Meghann Wadsak, of Austria, soars through the air during her first round jump of the ski jumping women's normal hill individual, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka

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Milan Cortina Olympics Figure Skating Yuma Kagiyama

Yuma Kagiyama of Japan reacts to his scores after competing during the figure skating men's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Francisco Seco

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Milan Cortina Olympics Figure Skating Ilia Malinin

Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the figure skating men's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Bernat Armangue

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Milan Cortina Olympics Biathlon Renars Birkentals

Renars Birkentals, of Latvia, participates in a biathlon training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy. | Photo: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy

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Milan Cortina Olympics Freestyle Skiing Lucas Ball

New Zealand's Lucas Ball competes during men's freestyle skiing slopestyle qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy. | Photo: AP/Lindsey Wasson

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Milan Cortina Olympics Speedskating Joy Beune

Joy Beune of the Netherlands competes to take a fourth place in the women's 3,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Christophe Ena

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Milan Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey Emily Nix

Germany's Emily Nix scores her side's third goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Germany and Japan at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy. | Photo: AP/Darko Bandic, Pool

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Milan Cortina Olympics Snowboard Ryoma Kimata

Japan's Ryoma Kimata competes during the men's snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy. | Photo: AP/Gregory Bull

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Milan Cortina Olympics Ski Jumping Nicole Maurer

Nicole Maurer, of Canada, goes down the ramp during her trial jump of the ski jumping women's normal hill individual, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Matthias Schrader

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Milan Cortina Olympics Curling Yannick Schwaller

Switzerland's Yannick Schwaller in action during the mixed doubles round robin phase of the curling competition against Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Fatima Shbair

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New Zealand's Lucas Ball competes during men's freestyle skiing slopestyle qualifications at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy. | Photo: AP/Gregory Bull

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Athletes from Sweden participate in a biathlon training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy. | Photo: AP/Andrew Medichini

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Milan Cortina Olympics Luge Summer Britcher

United States' Summer Britcher slides down the track during a women's single luge training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Milan Cortina Olympics Cross Country Frida Karlsson

Frida Karlsson of Sweden poses with her gold medal after the cross country skiing women's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy. | Photo: AP/Matthias Schrader