The Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are in full swing, and passions on the slopes are running high. The names of the winners in the parallel giant slalom have been announced, and snowboarders have already won their first gold medals of the 2026 Games, according to Sport Bet.
The gold went to Austrian snowboarder Benjamin Karl, a true snowboarding star and champion of the 2022 Beijing Games. The athlete confirmed his status as favourite by defending his Olympic title in the parallel giant slalom. In the final duel, he proved stronger than South Korea’s Kim Sang-kyum, allowing the Austrian to become a two-time Games winner.
The incredible Benjamin Karl simply tore up the slope at the age of 40. Immediately after his victorious finish, the Austrian put on a real show in the style of Hulk: he threw off his equipment in excitement, showing fans his iron muscles and wild joy at his country’s first gold medal at the 2026 Olympics.
As previously reported, American skier Lindsey Vonn was injured and may miss the Olympics.
