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2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy

Russia’s Filippov wins silver at 2026 Winter Olympics in Ski Mountaineering

Nikita Filippov is the first out of 13 athletes representing Russia under a neutral status at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games to win an Olympic medal

© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

BORMIO /Italy/, February 19. /TASS/. Russia’s Nikita Filippov won the silver medal in the Men’s Ski Mountaineering Sprint event on Thursday at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

The Russian athlete, who is participating as a neutral athlete at the Winter Olympics, finished the course in 2 minutes 35.55 seconds, only 1.52 seconds behind the winner of the race Oriol Cardona Coll from Spain (2 minutes 34.03 seconds). The bronze went to Thibault Anselmet from France (2 minutes 36.34 seconds).

Filippov is the first out of 13 athletes representing Russia under a neutral status at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games to win an Olympic medal.

The sport of Ski Mountaineering debuted this year as part of the Winter Olympic Games program. Filippov will enter the history books as the first silver medalist ever in the event.

Competing at the 2025 ISMF World Championship of Ski Mountaineering, Filippov finished 7th and 25th in the vertical race and sprint race events respectively.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been cleared to participate in the 2026 Winter Games under a neutral designation, which prohibits the display of national flags and anthems.

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are taking place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6-22, 2026. Thirteen Russian athletes are competing under a neutral status in figure skating, speed skating, short track, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, luge, and ski mountaineering.

2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy

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