Ski mountaineer Nikita Filippov won his first medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

He took second in the sprint—a discipline that involves several stages: part of the ascent is covered on skis with skins, part on foot, with the skis strapped to a backpack, and then a high-speed descent back down on skis. The race lasts approximately 3.5 minutes.

It's worth noting that Nikita's first ski mountaineering camp (he had previously also competed in biathlon and cross-country skiing) took place on Elbrus. It served as preparation for the Junior World Championships and simultaneously as a turning point: the mountains captivated him so much that he decided to devote himself entirely to ski mountaineering.