From Crowdfunding to Olympic Gold

Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen’s journey to Olympic glory began with tragedy and financial struggle. Seven years after crowdfunding saved his career, he’s now the first gold medalist of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Perfect Run

Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen delivered a sensational performance to win the Alpine skiing men’s downhill title and claim the first gold medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Saturday, powering through the challenging Stelvio course in 1 minute, 51.61 seconds. The 24-year-old Swiss racer looked unstoppable as he carved through the demanding Bormio course. As usual, the Stelvio slope proved to be a difficult one to navigate for the athletes — bumpy, slick, spotty lighting — yet von Allmen handled it all beautifully. He carved around tricky turns with poise and landed the fabled San Pietro jump smoothly. “I’m super happy, it feels like kind of a movie,” he told NBC’s Heather Cox post-race. “I really tried to enjoy the skiing and not over-push. Just show what I can do.”

A Podium for the Ages

His time was good enough to withstand the charge of Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, who finished .20 seconds back to claim the silver medal, while Giovanni Franzoni snagged silver (+0.20) and Dominik Paris (+0.50) — the “King of Bormio” — procured bronze. The Italian crowd went wild as their home heroes claimed two spots on the podium. It was Paris’ first Olympic medal in his fifth Winter Games. He now becomes a bronze medalist in addition to being the vocalist of a heavy metal band called “Rise of Voltage.” Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, as the pre-Games favourite and two-time Crystal Globe winner finished off the podium in fourth, +0.70 seconds back from his gold-winning compatriot.

The Darkest Hour

Von Allmen’s path to Olympic glory wasn’t always smooth. At 17 years old, von Allmen nearly quit Alpine skiing. His father died suddenly and the Boltigen, Switzerland, native lacked the financial means to continue competing in the sport. He turned to crowd-funding, launching a campaign to support his dreams. In a desperate bid to keep his dreams alive, his family turned to crowdfunding, raising 16,000 Swiss francs to fund his next winter season. His skiing career was almost derailed at 17. Through crowdfunding he raised money and qualified for the national C team. The teenager who once worked construction jobs to fund his skiing dreams had found a lifeline.

Rising Through the Ranks

He showed his vast promise by winning three silver medals, including one in downhill, at the 2022 junior worlds in Canada. But von Allmen doesn’t dwell on those difficult times. “For me that chapter is closed,” he said through a translator. “I prefer to concentrate on what’s yet to come and what’s happening now.” It helped propel von Allmen to a stunning gold medal victory at the 2025 World Championships, knocking off the event’s favorite and best skier of this generation, Marco Odermatt (SUI). Known for his fearless style on the course, a Swiss teammate once described him as a “crazy” skier for his risk-taking.

Olympic Dreams Realized

At just 24, von Allmen is the youngest Olympic downhill champion since Austria’s Matthias Mayer (23) at Sochi 2014 – and the fact that he has achieved this feat in his first outing at the Games makes the victory all the more impressive. He became the fifth Swiss man ever to earn downhill gold at a Winter Games. “It feels like a movie,” von Allmen said. “How could you imagine the Olympics better than to start with a gold medal? Amazing. It’s difficult to describe it in words.” From a teenager who nearly quit skiing due to financial hardship to Olympic champion in his very first Olympic race – von Allmen’s story proves that sometimes the most unlikely journeys lead to the greatest triumphs.