The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games officially begin this Friday (6), with opening ceremonies scheduled for two emblematic locations in Italy: the San Siro Stadium in Milan, and the city of Cortina. The ceremony will begin at 4 pm (Brasilia time), bringing together around 2,900 athletes from 92 countries. Brazil will be represented by 14 competitors, in what will be the largest Brazilian delegation ever sent to a Winter Olympics edition.
The competition will continue until February 22nd, and Brazilian athletes expect to achieve unprecedented results, with real chances of podium finishes in sports where the country has been growing in recent years.
One of the symbolic highlights of the opening ceremony will be the presence of gymnast Rebeca Andrade, Brazil’s most decorated Olympic medalist 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 personalities.
Rebeca celebrated the selection and highlighted the significance of the moment in her sporting career. “It is a huge honor and pride to receive this invitation from the IOC. It is a privilege to participate in this movement, to be alongside athletes from all over the world, to carry the Olympic Flag and represent Brazil once again at such a special moment for all athletes and sports lovers,” she stated.
In addition to her, other participants in the parade include Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, refugee athlete Cindy Ngamba, and Italian activist Nicolò Govoni, among other international guests.
Nicole Silveira and Lucas Pinheiro will be the flag bearers for Brazil
The Brazilian delegation will be represented in the parades by two outstanding athletes. In Cortina, Nicole Silveira, a national reference in skeleton and fourth place finisher in the last World Championships of the sport, will carry the flag. In Milan, the responsibility will fall to Lucas Pinheiro, one of the rising names in the international alpine skiing scene.
Nicole expressed her emotion upon receiving the invitation and highlighted the importance of the gesture for the growth of Brazilian winter sports. “It was thrilling to receive the invitation. It’s an enormous pride and an honor to carry the Brazilian flag on this grand stage, especially in winter sports, where our country has been growing. This moment represents much of the journey I’ve been building over the years. And, of course, I occupy this position with responsibility, because today Brazil is a respected country in the sporting world. This shows the world that it’s possible to strive to reach the top,” she said.
Lucas also highlighted the significance of the moment and demonstrated competitive ambition. “I can’t wait to represent our colors and carry our flag. It’s a huge honor. Brazil isn’t here just to participate. It’s here to make a difference,” he declared.
Athlete Grant reinforces presence at the Games
One of the main pillars for Brazil in this edition will be the Athlete Scholarship program. Of the 14 confirmed athletes, seven are currently scholarship recipients and two others have already received support in previous calls for proposals. In total, nine members of the delegation have received support from the program at some point in their careers.
The Minister of Sport, André Fufuca, highlighted the importance of federal investment for Brazilian sporting performance and recalled the program’s impact on other recent competitions as well. “Of the 14 athletes competing, nine have already received the Athlete Grant (of which seven remain grant recipients). 90% of the athletes who participated in the Paris Olympic Games (2024) received support. In the Paralympic Games (in Paris), the reach was 100%. Now, we arrive in Milan, at the Winter Games, with a large number of athletes supported by the program, which is a world reference. We can’t bring snow to Brazil, but we have the guarantee that the Athlete Grant can help us bring medals to our country,” he stated.
According to the official statement, the total amount of resources allocated directly to athletes throughout their careers exceeds R$ 1.6 million. Among the scholarship recipients, Nicole Silveira stands out, receiving support in the Podium category, considered the highest level of the program.
Casa Brasil opens in Milan
Before the official start of the competitions, the Brazilian Government inaugurated this Thursday (5) Casa Brasil, a space created to bring together fans, athletes and authorities during the 17 days of the event. The place will function as a cultural showcase of the country, with programming focused on sport, music, art and traditional Brazilian manifestations.
Minister André Fufuca explained the purpose of the venue and its symbolic role for the delegation. “It’s a home where Brazilian fans in Italy can cheer for Brazil. And where Italians can learn about our culture, and, most importantly, where Brazil can show its greatness of spirit, soul, and heart to the whole world,” he declared.
The opening ceremony will feature Mariah Carey, Laura Pausini, and Andrea Bocelli
The ceremony at San Siro Stadium will also feature performances by major international artists. Among the confirmed names are Mariah Carey, winner of five Grammy Awards, Italian singer Laura Pausini, and tenor Andrea Bocelli.
In Cortina, other tributes and participations also mark the event, including historical names from Italian sport, such as Franco Nones, Olympic champion in cross-country skiing, and Martina Valcepina, a reference in short track speed skating.
Brazil completes 10 participations in the Winter Olympic Games
Milan-Cortina marks Brazil’s 10th participation in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. The country debuted in the competition in Albertville in 1992, and since then has 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 were Isabel Clark’s 9th place in snowboarding 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 already represented the country in nine different sports.
The Brazilian team in Milan-Cortina brings together athletes with varied profiles, including competitors trained abroad, names that have changed their sporting nationality, and young talents who have already accumulated significant results.
Among the highlights is Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, born in Oslo to a Brazilian mother and a Norwegian father. After representing Norway until 2022/2023, he began competing for Brazil in 2024 and has achieved historic results, including nine podium finishes in Alpine Skiing World Cup events and a title won in Levi, Finland.
n alpine skiing, Brazil will also be represented by Christian Oliveira, Giovanni Ongaro, and Alice Padilha, considered one of the top Brazilian up-and-coming female athletes, who has secured a spot in the slalom competition.
In cross-country skiing, the team will consist of Eduarda Ribera, Bruna Moura, and Manex Silva. Ribera has already participated in the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and was in 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 appearances in finals and a podium finish in a World Cup event. Augustinho, on the other hand, was the European Cup champion in 2025 and has performed well in recent international competitions.
Brazilian bobsled will feature Edson Bindilatti, the national record holder for Olympic appearances, who is competing in his sixth edition, as well as Davidson de Souza, Rafael Souza, Luis Bacca, and Gustavo Ferreira. Bindilatti is considered one of the pioneers of the sport in the country and has been participating since Salt Lake City 2002.
Source: brasil247.com