The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics officially begin this Friday (6), with opening ceremonies scheduled at two iconic Italian locations: San Siro Stadium in Milan, and the city of Cortina. The ceremony will start at 4 PM (Brasília time), bringing together around 2,900 athletes from 92 countries. Brazil will be represented by 14 competitors, marking the largest Brazilian delegation ever sent to a Winter Olympics edition.
The competition will run until February 22, and Brazilian expectations are for unprecedented results, with concrete chances of podium finishes in events where the country has been growing in recent years.
One of the symbolic highlights of the opening will be the presence of gymnast Rebeca Andrade, Brazil’s most decorated Olympian in traditional Olympic Games. Invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the event organizers, she was chosen to carry the Olympic Flag alongside seven other international figures.
Rebeca celebrated the selection and highlighted the significance of the moment in her athletic career. “It’s a huge honor and source of pride to receive this invitation from the IOC. It’s a privilege to be part of this movement, to stand alongside athletes from around the world, carry the Olympic Flag, and represent Brazil once again in such a special moment for all athletes and sports fans,” she said.
In addition to her, participants in the parade include names like Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, refugee athlete Cindy Ngamba, and Italian activist Nicolò Govoni, among other international guests.
Nicole Silveira and Lucas Pinheiro will be Brazil’s flag bearers
The Brazilian delegation will be represented in the parades by two standout athletes. In Cortina, Nicole Silveira, a national reference in skeleton and fourth place in the last World Championships in the discipline, will carry the flag. In Milan, the responsibility falls to Lucas Pinheiro, one of the rising names on the international alpine skiing scene.
Nicole shared her emotion upon receiving the invitation and emphasized the importance of the gesture for Brazil’s growth in winter sports. “It was thrilling to receive the invitation. It’s a huge source of pride and an honor to carry Brazil’s flag on this grand stage, especially in winter sports, where our country has been growing. This moment represents so much of the journey I’ve been building over the years. And of course, I take on this role with responsibility, because today Brazil is a respected nation in the sports world. This shows the world that it’s possible to fight to reach the top,” she said.
Lucas also underscored the meaning of the moment and showed competitive ambition. “I can’t wait to represent our colors and carry our flag. It’s an immense honor. Brazil isn’t here to just participate. It’s here to make a difference,” he declared.
Bolsa Atleta Bolsters Presence at the Games
One of Brazil’s main pillars in this edition will be the Bolsa Atleta program. Of the 14 confirmed athletes, seven are current beneficiaries and two others have received support in previous calls. In total, nine delegation members have received program support at some point in their careers.
The Minister of Sports, André Fufuca, highlighted the importance of federal investment for Brazilian sports performance and recalled the program’s impact in other recent competitions. “Of the 14 competing athletes, nine have received Bolsa Atleta (of which seven are still beneficiaries). 90% of the athletes who participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics received the support. In the Paris Paralympics, it reached 100%. Now, we arrive in Milan at the Winter Games with a large number supported by the program, which is a world reference. We can’t bring snow to Brazil, but we have the guarantee that Bolsa Atleta can help us bring medals to our country,” he stated.
The amount of resources directly allocated to athletes throughout their careers exceeds R$ 1.6 million, according to the official statement. Among the beneficiaries, Nicole Silveira is the standout, receiving support in the Pódio category, the program’s highest level.
Casa Brasil Opens in Milan
Before the official start of the competitions, the Brazilian Government inaugurated Casa Brasil on Thursday (5), a space created to bring together fans, athletes, and authorities during the 17 days of the event. The venue will serve as a cultural showcase for the country, with programming focused on sports, music, art, and traditional Brazilian expressions.
Minister André Fufuca explained the purpose of the space and its symbolic role for the delegation. “It’s a house for Brazilian fans in Italy to cheer for Brazil. And for Italians to learn about our culture, and mainly, for Brazil to show its greatness of spirit, soul, and heart to the whole world,” he declared.
Opening Ceremony to Feature Mariah Carey, Laura Pausini, and Andrea Bocelli
The ceremony at San Siro Stadium will also feature performances by major international artists. Confirmed names include five-time Grammy winner Mariah Carey, Italian singer Laura Pausini, and tenor Andrea Bocelli.
In Cortina, other tributes and participations mark the event as well, including historic Italian sports figures like Franco Nones, Olympic champion in cross-country skiing, and Martina Valcepina, a reference in short track speed skating.
Brazil Completes 10th Participation in Winter Olympics
Milan-Cortina marks Brazil’s 10th participation in the history of the Winter Olympics. The country debuted in Albertville in 1992, and has since been present in Lillehammer-1994, Nagano-1998, Salt Lake City-2002, Turin-2006, Vancouver-2010, Sochi-2014, PyeongChang-2018, and Beijing-2022.
To date, Brazil’s best results have been Isabel Clark’s 9th place in snowboard at Turin-2006 and Nicole Silveira’s 13th place in skeleton at Beijing-2022. Before this edition, 40 Brazilian athletes — 27 men and 13 women — had represented the country in nine different disciplines.
The Brazilian team in Milan-Cortina features athletes with varied profiles, including competitors trained abroad, names who changed sports nationality, and young talents who already have impressive results.
Among the highlights is Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, born in Oslo, with a Brazilian mother and Norwegian father. After representing Norway until 2022/2023, he began competing for Brazil in 2024 and has racked up historic results, including nine podiums in Alpine Ski World Cup stages and a title won in Levi, Finland.
In alpine skiing, Brazil will also count on Christian Oliveira, Giovanni Ongaro, and Alice Padilha, considered one of Brazil’s top female revelations, with a spot secured for the slalom.
In cross-country skiing, the team will have Eduarda Ribera, Bruna Moura, and Manex Silva. Ribera already competed in the Lausanne Youth Olympics and Beijing-2022, while Bruna will make her Olympic debut after missing the previous edition due to an accident.
In snowboard halfpipe, the representatives will be Pat Burgener and Augustinho Teixeira. Burgener, who previously represented Switzerland, began competing for Brazil in 2025 and achieved unprecedented results for the country, including finals appearances and a World Cup podium. Augustinho was the 2025 European Cup champion and had strong performances in recent international competitions.
The Brazilian bobsled team will include Edson Bindilatti, the national record holder for Olympic participations, arriving at his sixth edition, along with Davidson de Souza, Rafael Souza, Luis Bacca, and Gustavo Ferreira. Bindilatti is considered one of the pioneers of the discipline in the country and has competed since Salt Lake City-2002.
Source: brasil247.com