The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics will be remembered as one of the most memorable editions for Spanish sport. Not for the number of medals won compared to countries with a longer winter sports tradition, but for their significance: Spain has won three medals in a single edition , all of them in ski mountaineering ( skimo ), a discipline that made its Olympic debut in this cycle.
And behind those three medals are two names that are already part of the history of Spanish sport: Oriol Cardona Coll and Ana Alonso Rodríguez .
Oriol Cardona Coll, born in Banyoles (Girona), has been a leading figure in international ski mountaineering for years. A world sprint champion and dominant force in the World Cup for the discipline, Cardona arrived in Milano-Cortina as one of the favorites. Before these Games, he had won the World Cup circuit in both the sprint and mixed relay events, and had been crowned world sprint champion, experiences that prepared him to handle the pressure at the Olympic Games.
Ana Alonso Rodríguez, for her part, has a story of overcoming adversity that complements her talent. The skier from Granada suffered a serious knee injury just a few months before the Games, which put her participation in doubt. Her recovery, speed in adapting to the demanding terrain, and tactical clarity made her a formidable rival in the speed events of ski mountaineering.
The sprint: precision and speed in the mountains
Spain's first major triumph came in the individual sprint event of ski mountaineering. In this short, intense, and explosive race—with ascents, descents, and transitions all in just a few minutes—both Cardona and Alonso reached the podium.
Ana Alonso was the first to make her mark: with a steady climb through the qualifying rounds, she finished in third place and won the women's Olympic bronze medal . More than just a result, it was confirmation that her return from injury had been complete and competitive.
Just minutes later, Oriol Cardona made history. In the men's final, he dominated the race with ease, managing each section with a combination of power and technique that allowed him to pull away from his rivals and cross the finish line as Olympic champion . This victory not only meant a gold medal, but also the first Olympic gold for Spain in winter sports since 1972 , when Francisco "Paquito" Fernández Ochoa won the slalom in Sapporo.
That double podium finish in the sprint—gold and bronze—was not only a demonstration of Spain's competitive depth in this discipline, but also a moment of historical significance. Ski mountaineering, traditionally more associated with alpine countries, had placed Spain among the elite since its Olympic debut.
The mixed relay: teamwork under pressure
Just two days after the sprint, ski mountaineering offered another exciting event: the mixed relay . In this format, each team consists of a man and a woman who take turns on segments that combine ascents, descents, and fast transitions. The key is not just individual speed, but coordination, smooth transitions, and pacing between the two runners.
Spain, represented by Ana Alonso and Oriol Cardona, completed a solid and balanced race against rivals with a longer history in the discipline. There was some uncertainty at the finish line: an initial penalty threatened to disqualify them. After review, the penalty was confirmed as minimal (only three seconds), allowing the pair to secure the bronze medal in an event where France and Switzerland took gold and silver, respectively.
This podium finish concluded Spain's participation in the Games with a brilliant total of three medals, placing Spain not only in the Olympic skimo honor roll, but also marking a historic milestone for Spanish sport in winter competitions.
Beyond Metals: An Overview
Spain's three medals —Cardona's gold, Alonso's bronze in the sprint and bronze in the mixed relay— not only represent a competitive success: they symbolize the consolidation of a discipline and a technical approach that can have a future beyond a single edition.
The fact that ski mountaineering has broken into the Olympic program, and that Spain, with its stronger tradition in climbing, trail running, and cycling, has found a competitive advantage here, speaks to a sport with potential. But it also raises questions about how to build infrastructure, support programs, and training structures in a country where sports like alpine skiing have traditionally not received the same level of support as in Alpine nations.
Of the five medals Spain had won in 102 years of participation in the Winter Olympic Games, three came in 48 hours at Milano-Cortina 2016. This makes this performance not only the best in recent history, but also a turning point for Spanish winter sport.
A legacy for the future
The feats of Oriol Cardona and Ana Alonso will remain unforgettable chapters in the history of Spanish sport: an Olympic gold medal after 54 years , a double podium finish in a new discipline, and a team medal that crowned a historic performance. But beyond the medals, what remains is the legacy of a sport that has been able to translate endurance, technique, and strategy into peak performance when the pressure was at its highest.
