The Winter Olympics take place every four years, where ice sports are contested, and although Brazil is a tropical country and does not have the same number of athletes as in the Summer Olympics, for the first time in 25 stages, it is taking home an Olympic medal.
WHO IS LUCAS PINHEIRO BRAATHEN?
Lucas is a Norwegian and brazilian alpine ski racer who specializes in the technical slalom and giant slalom. He represented Norway in international events until retiring in 2023, announcing that would return to alpine skiing to represent Brazil.
Now, in 2026, he became the first Brazilian in history to win a medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as the first athlete from South America wins a medal.
THE SKI IN HIS LIFE
After his parents got divorced and Lucas lived with her mother, later in his childhood he returned to Norway to live with his father. His first time skiing was when he was between three and four years, letting clear he didn’t like it until he’s nine.
During his life, Lucas raced for Norway’s Club Bærums SK, at the Junior World Championship in 2019 and won a silver medal and also made his World Cup debut in 2018. His first victory was in October 2020 at the season opener, a giant slalom in Sölden. In 2022, he won his first slalom at the Lauberhorn race in Wenger.
On 6 February, he participated in the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics as the flag bearer of Brazil.
THE PROCESS TO MAKE HISTORY
Lucas got a brilliant first run which put him in a good position for the final run and knew needed to be quicker than Marco Odermatt once again.
He did it. With a combined time of 2:25, Lucas finished 0.58 quicker than the Swiss athlete.
Even if Odermatt was regarded as one of all-time greats of Alpine skiing, Lucas took away his first place, once again denied gold in the game.
THE PODIUM
After the race, Lucas said:
“It doesn’t matter where you are from, your clothes or your skin tone. What matters is what’s inside. I skied with my heart today, with Brazilian strength, to carry this flag above my body. We can do it. It’s Brazil.”
For a country better known for football than for snow, the image of a Brazilian athlete at the top of a Winter Olympic podium represents a historic breakthrough
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The article above was edited by Duda Kabzas.
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