Dominik Fischnaller is South Tyrol's bronze medalist. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

Small party with Goggia & Co.: This is how Fischnaller's heroic day went

Nervous in the morning, on cloud nine in the evening: Dominik Fischnaller provided the big luge party on Sunday, winning Olympic bronze in the singles. We've recap this memorable day.

February 09, 2026

From Cortina d'Ampezzo

7.42 clock: Dominik Fischnaller's alarm clock rings. The man from Meransen gets out of bed in his wooden bungalow in the Olympic Village. He didn't sleep well. "I woke up 20 times, constantly tossing and turning." Not surprising, considering today is his big day: Will he win the coveted medal in Cortina or not?

8.30 clock: The morning program begins. First, breakfast is served in the large canteen of the Olympic Village, then "Domi" and his teammates stretch their legs a bit, do some stretching, and make the final adjustments to the luge with the equipment managers.

Dominik Filehner took bronze. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

13.07 clock: Lunch, the last fueling before the competition. The canteen offers a large buffet with pasta, meat, and so on. Important: Lots of carbohydrates.

15.30 clock: After a short rest in the bungalow, we'll take the shuttle to the competition venue. It's about a 15-minute walk from the Olympic Village to the luge track.

16.15 clock: After the sled was unpacked and the coaches had given their final instructions, the warm-up began. Fischnaller knows the routine perfectly and takes a moment to reflect before the big performance.

17.07 clock: The first run of the day (and the third overall) is underway. Fischnaller puts in a solid performance and defends his third place in the standings. Now a medal is within reach!

19.07 clock: The decisive run turns into a fairytale for Fischnaller! Thanks to another flawless and commanding performance, he takes home the medal – and receives a celebratory welcome from his teammates at the finish line. His wife Emily gives him a kiss!

The big moment: Fischnaller celebrates the bronze medal with his teammates. © ANSA / DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

19.11 clock: The race is over! Fischnaller is pushed back to third place, which was foreseeable – but it doesn't diminish his joy one bit. Bronze is a reality! Among the many congratulators in the finish area is also Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.

19.24 clock: Exactly 13 minutes after the race ends, the awards ceremony takes place on the "Medal Plaza," about 200 meters from the luge track. Fischnaller quickly puts on his snow-white Italian tutu and walks down the same path as the spectators. He has a friendly chat with a fan. Finally, "Domi" receives the coveted medal.

There it is: Fischnaller with the bronze medal. © APA/afp / STEFANO RELLANDINI

19.44 clock: More than 100 traveling fans of Dominik Fischnaller are celebrating their bronze medal hero. His mother, Monika, is especially overwhelmed. "I'm speechless, we're so happy for Dominik. This is the reward for his perseverance, for his mental strength. I'm so proud of him," she says. Adding to the emotional atmosphere, among the cheering fans are Erika Lechner, the 1968 Olympic luge champion, and her brother Emil, who introduced Dominik to the sport when he was eight years old.

20.13 clock: Fischnaller is giving interviews in the mixed zone. His coach and luge legend Armin Zöggeler (six Olympic medals) is also overjoyed after the bronze: "Dominik has always had to cope with the pressure of following in my footsteps. And now he has two medals, that's fantastic."

Happy with their son-in-law: Larry and Suzan Sweeney, the parents of Dominik's wife Emily.

22.08 clock: After a long series of interviews, a doping control, and another press conference, Fischnaller and his coaches entered the Casa Italia in the center of Cortina. There, the bronze medalist encountered many celebrities: Sofia Goggia was also celebrating her bronze medal with her downhill teammates. Goggia and Fischnaller congratulated each other.

22.26 clock: The luge team toasts their great success with a glass of wine. Fischnaller also fortifies himself with a hearty portion of pasta. Shortly afterwards, it's back to the Olympic Village; after all, there are still competitions to come.

After 23 p.m.: Fischnaller falls into bed after a long day – and a little later enters the realm of dreams as a newly minted Olympic medalist.