Brazil Claims First Olympic Medal in Giant Slalom

For the first time in Winter Olympics history, Brazil found itself on the medal podium.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen took home the gold medal in the men’s giant slalom on Saturday with a 2:25.00 finish time across two runs. Braathen broke up what could have been a podium sweep by Switzerland as he was just over half a second faster than Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, who finished with silver at a 2:25.58 finish time. Bronze went to Switzerland’s Loic Meillard with a 2:26.17 finish time. Finishing just off the podium was Switzerland’s Thomas Tulmer, whose 2:26.45 finish was good enough for fourth place.

Pinheiro Braathen was born in Oslo but is a citizen of Brazil. With his win, Pinheiro Braathen put not just Brazil, but South America on the medal chart for these games. It was a historic moment for Braathen; no South American country has ever finished on the podium in any Winter Olympics. The best previous individual Winter Olympic result for a South American athlete was Brazil’s Isabel Clark Ribeiro, who finished ninth in the snowboard cross in the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics.

Team USA’s River Radamus finished in 17th place, while Ryder Sarchett finished 25th.