Soccer is no longer the only sport. Brazil is currently also having success at the World Cup in skiing.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen finished second in the agiant slalom on Sunday at Beaver Creek, Colorado, becoming him the first Brazilian skier to place on a World Cup podium.
With a samba dance on the podium, a Brazilian flag around his waist, and cowboy boots on his feet, Pinheiro Braathen celebrated the accomplishment in a way that was distinctly Brazilian and Pinheiro.
What a great opportunity to dance in front of all of these incredible supporters today. I entered the circuit with the intention of changing things. According to Pinheiro Braathen, I came here to be myself and, ideally, to inspire the outcasts and those who feel a little different to pursue their own dreams.
“Being the first to fly the Brazilian flag, of which I’m extremely proud, up to a winter sport World Cup podium is such a privilege,” he continued.
Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after competing in a men’s World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)
John Locher/Associated Press photo
Pinheiro Braathen has a Norwegian father and a Brazilian mother. After a disagreement with the Norwegian ski association over modeling work for a rival brand of the federation’s apparel supplier, he abruptly retired from racing for Norway a little over a year ago.
Pinheiro Braathen announced his return to the Alpine skiing World Cup circuit in March. Brazil had not had a representative on the circuit since 2016.
Although Brazil has never taken home a medal from the Winter Olympics, Pinheiro Braathen is now expected to compete in the Milan-Cortina Games next season. In a winter sport, could Nicole Silveira, who placed third in a World Cup skeleton event in Pyeongchang, South Korea, last month, lead to Brazil’s first podium finish?
Michel Macedo, who failed to complete his second slalom run, was the only man to represent Brazil in Alpine skiing at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
On Sunday, while the country’s soccer league’s final round was taking place, Pinheiro Braathen’s performance received minimal attention in Brazil. However, Brazil has very few Alpine resorts, therefore skiing is not very popular there. In South America, Argentina and Chile are more well-known skiing locations.
When he competed for Norway, Pinheiro Braathen won five World Cup races, including two giant slaloms and three slaloms. He also won the slalom title for the 2022–2023 season, but an appendectomy kept him from competing in the world championships that year.
Pinheiro Braathen, one of skiing’s liveliest personalities, is well-known for his fingernail art and fashion sense. He frequently names Ronaldinho and Dennis Rodman as his heroes. He mentioned the several obstacles he has faced in the sport.
He remarked that skiing is a very manly sport and that it’s about overcoming all the pressure and the criticism that come with following your own path.
I just take pride in the fact that I’m someone who likes to dress a little differently and do me, and I hope that the history I can write today will illustrate the value of going your own way and the possibility of happiness that comes from simply being who you are. Braathen Pinheiro added.
Pinheiro Braathen improved on two fourth-place finishes earlier this season by finishing just 0.12 seconds behind Swiss first-time winner Thomas Tumler after putting down the fastest second run after finishing fourth in the first leg. As he faced a crowd that included a fan club wearing the yellow jerseys of Brazil’s national soccer team, he celebrated by letting both of his skis fall to the snow in a ski equivalent of a microphone drop.
Next weekend, Pinheiro Braathen will compete in giant slalom and slalom events in Val d Isere, France, where his mother, Alessandra, from Sao Paulo, is anticipated to be present to support him. Braathen’s goal is to win Brazil’s first victory on snow.
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Contributing from Sao Paulo was Mauricio Savarese, an AP Sports Writer.
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