BORMIO, Italy, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Swiss alpine skier Franjo von Allmen won the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics here on Saturday, capturing the men's downhill title on the daunting Stelvio course in one minute and 51.61 seconds.
Swiss skiers underlined their dominance in the discipline early in the race, with world champion Marco Odermatt and Alexis Monney temporarily holding the top two positions. Von Allmen, starting later, delivered a near-flawless run to move into the lead.
Italy then mounted a strong challenge on home snow as 24-year-old Giovanni Franzoni and veteran Dominik Paris, 36, pushed Odermatt and Monney off the provisional podium. Paris, who holds the record for most World Cup downhill victories on the Stelvio track, reached a top speed of 150km/h shortly after leaving the start gate.
Von Allmen's time ultimately proved untouchable. The Swiss skier finished 0.20 seconds ahead of silver medalist Franzoni and 0.50 seconds clear of bronze medalist Paris, with all three claiming their first Olympic medals.
"It feels like a dream, like a movie," said Von Allmen. "How could you imagine the Olympics better than to start with a gold medal? It's crazy, it's difficult to describe it in words."
Paris, a five-time Olympian, said the result carried special meaning on a slope where he has enjoyed sustained World Cup wins.
"I've had a nice career so far. Having this success on this hill means a lot," he said. "The World Cup is different. The Olympics are really special, I tried so hard at the other Olympic Games when I was in good shape and young. But this time I just relaxed and tried to ski well."
Bormio's Stelvio Ski Center, a regular venue on the Alpine World Cup circuit and a former world championship host, is famed as much for its pedigree as for the severity of its downhill course. Widely regarded as one of the most demanding tracks in the sport, the mountain inspires both admiration and apprehension among elite skiers.
Several athletes described a love-hate relationship with the course ahead of the race. Austrian skier Daniel Hemetsberger, who sustained an eye injury after crashing during official training, underlined the risks involved.
"It's the best track for an Olympic downhill. You need to take risks, but it could be the win or the helicopter," said Hemetsberger.
Men's downhill is considered one of the signature events of the Winter Olympics, featuring the longest course in alpine skiing, the largest vertical drop and the highest speeds. Saturday's race covered 3,442 meters, with a vertical drop of 1,023 meters from start to finish.
Only 36 skiers took part, the lowest number since the men's downhill became a standalone Olympic event in 1948. Several athletes withdrew following official training runs.
"I think it's because we are racing in Bormio," said Paris. "Maybe in our country we'd like to ski here, but it's not for every athlete."
