With Brazil entering the joyous throes of Carnival, Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen on Saturday gave it another reason to celebrate — an Olympic medal. It was the first-ever medal at the Winter Games for any country in South America. And not just any medal: Gold.

Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen has turned in a powerful final run to win the Olympic giant slalom and earn South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva led the way as Brazil saluted skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen who won the nation's first ever medal, a gold, at the Winter Olympics. Lula said on X that Braathen's giant slalom triumph in Bormio,

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen became the first South American to win a Winter Olympics medal after he earned gold during Saturday's men's giant slalom. The 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen, who is ranked second in the world in slalom and giant slalom, recorded a combined time of 2:25.00, 0.58 better than 2022 gold medalist Marco Odermatt to win the event.

Braathen won Brazil’s first-ever Winter Games medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Brazil danced after winning their first Winter Olympics gold medal while Canada is still trying to win their first.

Another Brazilian athlete, Nicole Rocha Silveira, could earn another medal on Saturday when she races in the women's skeleton event.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen said it was "absolutely impossible" to try and convey his emotions after his big win

Brazil, the largest country in South America, is currently in the midst of its samba festival period. During this time, when the entire nation steps to the rhythm of passion in cities like Rio, samba moves that would further energize the people unfolded on the snowy slopes of the Italian Alps in Bormio.

Burgener’s debut with the Brazilian team this year coincided with that of Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, whose gold medal Saturday earned South America its first-ever medal in a Winter Olympics. Pinheiro Braathen until 2023 competed for Norway, switching to Brazil last season and adding his mother’s surname.

From gold medal triumphs to proposals to the lovable mascots, here were our favorite parts of the Milan-Cortina Games.