MILAN, Italy, Feb 7, (V7N) – Competition at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics moves into full swing on Saturday, with men’s downhill skiing headlining the first full day of medal events, just hours after the official opening ceremony.

The Games were formally opened with the lighting of Olympic cauldrons in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, symbolizing the dual-host nature of the event. Former Italian Olympic champions participated in the ceremony, marking the start of the Winter Games across multiple venues.

Several events, including curling, women’s ice hockey, figure skating, and snowboarding, began ahead of the opening ceremony. Saturday’s schedule, however, marks the first major day of medal competition.

In alpine skiing, attention will center on the men’s downhill in Bormio, one of the most prestigious events of the Winter Olympics. Top contenders from Europe are expected to compete closely, while the event is anticipated to set the tone for alpine competition throughout the Games.

American athletes will be prominent across multiple disciplines on Saturday. In freestyle skiing, US-born star Eileen Gu begins her Olympic campaign in the women’s slopestyle qualifying event in Livigno. Gu, one of the most recognizable figures in winter sports, previously earned multiple medals at the Beijing Games and enters the competition as a strong contender.

In figure skating, American skater Ilia Malinin leads the United States team in the men’s singles segment of the team event, as the US seeks to defend its Olympic title. The American team holds an early advantage following strong performances in ice dancing, while Japan remains close in the standings.

Snowboarding competition also gets underway with the men’s big air final, where defending champion Su Yiming of China faces a competitive field that includes strong athletes from Japan and Europe.

With medals on the line across several venues, Saturday is expected to be a pivotal day at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, as athletes from the United States and around the world begin their pursuit of Olympic success.

END/WSP/RH