Alpine Skiing
Ski sensation Braathen is back where he belongs: "Sölden was magic!"
With a bold new suit and a triumphant dance, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen's comeback left ski fans in awe.
After a year-long hiatus, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen is back. The 24-year-old alpine skier made his mark in the Giant Slalom at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season opener in Sölden, Austria, debuting a bold new racing suit and stunning both fans and critics with his standout performance – and a celebratory dance that no one saw coming.
Racing for Brazil for the first time, Norwegian-born Pinheiro Braathen narrowly missed the podium by less than three 10ths of a second. After taking the early lead on his second run, he thrilled the Sölden crowd with a samba dance. "I raced with my heart today," he shared in a TV interview, visibly moved after rocketing from 19th place in the first run to finish fourth overall.
Pinheiro Braathen spoke to reporters after an emotional race
© Frank Heinen/VOIGT/GettyImages
I'm here with a purpose and I'm so happy!
"It was magic. I'm here with a purpose and I'm so happy!" he continued, looking both relieved and proud. "I don't want to forget this moment." Pinheiro Braathen finished just behind three Norwegian racers – Alexander Steen Olsen, Henrik Kristoffersen, and his close friend Atle Lie McGrath. When McGrath overtook him for the lead, Pinheiro Braathen ran out to the finish to hug his friend, sealing the moment with a kiss on the cheek.
Pinheiro Braathen was clearly savouring every moment, unafraid to show his emotions. "I want to be an inspiration for others – you can go your own way!" he shared. His performance in Sölden made one thing clear: Pinheiro Braathen is back, driven by ambitions that go beyond race results alone.
Read more about Lucas Pinheiro Braathen
"For the first time, I smiled before I dropped in"
Braathen and McGrath hug after the latter takes the lead
© Christian Bruna/Getty Images
“Ten seconds ahead of starting on the first run, for the first time in my life, I smiled before I dropped in. I've never, ever done that before. And that's when I realised I'm back where I belong. I was able to ski with my heart today and when you let me go I can achieve great things.”
After announcing his return to the sport in March this year under the flag of Brazil, Pinheiro Braathen set himself some lofty ambitions.
“Brazil has always had a major influence in shaping me to become the person and athlete that I am. Having the opportunity to represent 200m Brazilians in World Cups, World Championships and Olympic Games, is a dream come true", he revealed in an interview with Red Bull.
But his goals aren’t solely performance-based. “I do have goals. But only one of them is about results. My second goal is to give something back to the sport. It lets me live this life that I love so much.
Braathen celebrates a much-improved showing in his second run
© Frank Heinen/VOIGT/GettyImages
“I want to leave behind a legacy, where I’m remembered as someone who always stayed true to who they were. My biggest goal is that I leave the sport with more diversity and more acceptance for difference.
“I want to change this sport by being myself. I don’t want to have to rein in my personality just because the system expects me to. And I hope that way I can be an inspiration to someone. A boy who wants to paint his nails might finally dare do it, just like I do. A boy who wants to dress in a feminine way may actually dare to do so. Or he takes a certain political stance, even if the people around him don’t share his opinion.
"The sports world is often very conservative, strict, and confining. I’m not strong enough to rid us of these shackles on my own, but if I can serve as something of an inspiration to make the sport a little more tolerant, colourful and diverse, that would make me much happier than any sporting victory.”
As the season unfolds, Pinheiro Braathen’s journey promises to be one to watch – not only for his results but for the spirit he brings back to alpine skiing.