By DANIELLA MATAR, AP Sports activities Author
MILAN (AP) — When Lucas Pinheiro Braathen tells individuals in Brazil that he represents the nation in Alpine snowboarding, he says they don’t consider him.
They simply would possibly if he wins Brazil’s first Winter Olympics medal subsequent month.
“Once I meet somebody new (in Brazil) … it’s all the time this mindblowing second and it all the time sparks a really attention-grabbing dialog,” Pinheiro Braathen mentioned with a smile in a current interview with The Related Press in Milan. “And humorous sufficient, I really suppose it’s these interactions that perhaps show probably the most how fulfilling it’s for me to symbolize Brazil in one thing like snowboarding as a result of it simply exhibits me how international it’s. In order that’s actually enjoyable.”
If Pinheiro Braathen does end on the rostrum, it might even be a primary Winter Olympics medal for any South American nation, one thing he wasn’t conscious of.
“I imply thanks you simply added a complete different layer of stress so I’ll fortunately convey that alongside,” he laughed. “The larger the problem, the larger the distinction that I can convey and I consider it’s the extra stress you’re feeling, the larger the distinction that you would be able to create.”
Pinheiro Braathen’s mom is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He had raced for Norway till abruptly retiring on the eve of the brand new season in 2023, solely to come back a year later representing Brazil.
The 2023 World Cup slalom champion has already racked up a collection of firsts beneath his new flag, turning into the primary Brazilian skier to complete on a World Cup podium final yr earlier than claiming the country’s first victory this season so as to add to his 5 for Norway.
“I merely attempt to capitalize off of that stress and channel it into my efficiency as a result of, sure, it makes the times main into the competitors extraordinarily difficult as a result of you understand you have got one thing larger to stay as much as relatively than simply the opportunity of an important outcome,” Pinheiro Braathen mentioned.
“However it’s precisely that that allows you to develop into the model of your self the place you’ll be able to beat each single different athlete at that begin gate and so, as I mentioned, stress is privilege. It’s my most vital foreign money.”
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Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen feeds a deer on the rostrum after profitable an alpine ski, males’s World Cup slalom, in Levi, Finland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photograph/Marco Trovati)
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Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen feeds a deer on the rostrum after profitable an alpine ski, males’s World Cup slalom, in Levi, Finland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photograph/Marco Trovati)
Snow samba
Pinheiro Braathen likes to entertain. When he acquired his first podium outcome for Brazil, he celebrated with a samba dance. His response after claiming his first win was extra visceral, as he fell to his knees and screamed “yeah!” with each arms within the air.
The 25-year-old admits he has no clue what he would do if he was to achieve Bormio, the place the boys’s Alpine ski racing will happen on the Olympics.
“In case you obtain immense success in one thing that you simply’ve devoted your life to, at the very least for me, it’s unimaginable to curate what these moments appear like,” Pinheiro Braathen mentioned. “It’s actually no matter you’re feeling that sees the sunshine of day and that’s what I believe is so stunning about these moments and it’s merely what I chase each single day waking up. One more day attending to expertise that feeling.”
Pinheiro Braathen is one in all snowboarding’s most vibrant personalities, identified for portray his fingernails and having a style for vogue. He brings to the slopes the vitality of Brazil and the self-discipline of Norway, having spent a lot of his childhood in each nations.
“I’m an individual of cultural duality,” he mentioned. “Two views all the time introduced from beginning and so for me I all the time discover that I’ve by no means been dwelling a life the place I’m solely introduced to at least one actuality, one tradition or one way of life. It’s all the time been these polar opposites and so I believe that has formed me to develop into who I’m immediately and the way I need to stay my life.
A father’s love
Pinheiro Braathen has a detailed relationship together with his father, Björn Braathen. A lot in order that he named the reindeer he gained as a part of the standard winner’s prize on the World Cup in Levi after him.
It was his father who launched him to snowboarding, when he was 4 or 5, although Pinheiro Braathen didn’t take to it initially.
“I purchased all the pieces for him, like sneakers, like boots and skis and all the pieces, and we went out and he would complain the entire time,” Braathen mentioned. “Like “I’m chilly, I’m not minimize out for this, I’m freezing,” and, “I’m Brazilian and this isn’t for me.”
A love for the game finally arrived. Braathen, who additionally serves as his son’s group supervisor, doesn’t thoughts that his son switched allegiances.
“As a Norwegian, individuals count on me to really feel very dangerous about that, however I don’t,” he mentioned. “It’s my son and I simply need him to be completely satisfied.”
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
