History was made at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics as Switzerland’s Marianne Fatton captured the first-ever Olympic gold in ski mountaineering.

Competing in the women’s sprint on February 19, the 30-year-old world champion mastered the heavy snowfall in Bormio, Italy, to secure her place in the record books.

Ski mountaineering, or “skimo,” involves racing uphill on skis, carrying equipment on foot and navigating a high-speed downhill descent.

Fatton completed the grueling courses in 2:59.77, narrowly defeating France’s Emily Harrop, who took silver and Spain’s Ana Alonso Rodriguez who claimed bronze.

Fatton’s victory was decided by her lightning-fast “transitions” – the moments where athletes switch from skiing to climbing.

Reflecting on the milestone, an emotional Fatton told reporters, “It’s a magical day. It’s history for our sport and for us as athletes and it’s wonderful.”

She admitted that the magnitude of the win exceeded her expectations, saying, “I was just hoping for a medal, but the gold medal? I was already happy that we could live this moment.”

The event marked a successful debut for the sport, which was added to the Olympic program to bring fresh energy to the Games. Fatton’s win has solidified her status as the face of the discipline, proving that skimo belongs on the world’s biggest stage.