Russian Filippov wins first medal at Milan-Cortina Games for individual neutral athletes

Russian Nikita Filippov won the first medal at the Milan-Cortina Games for individual neutral athletes when he claimed silver in the men's ski mountaineering sprint in Bormio on Thursday.

Filippov finished 1.52sec off Spain's gold medallist Oriol Cardona Coll, who won in 2min 34.03sec. Thibault Anselmet of France took bronze (+2.31) in the event's debut at the Winter Games.

The Swiss pair of Arno Liethaa and Jon Kistler had led up the initial gruelling 65-metre climb.

But Cardona Coll showed all his experience to fight back and surge into the lead in an astonishing display of stamina and technical nous on the transition.

Filippov moved into second as the Swiss faded and tracked Cardona Coll down through the finish line.

It was a first medal for the 20-strong team of Russian and Belarusian athletes listed as 'AIN', meaning they are competing under a neutral flag.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced bans from international competition since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Filippov and his AIN teammates have been allowed to compete at these Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics under a neutral banner having met strict conditions.

Those included competing under a neutral flag, taking part only in individual events and undergoing checks to prove that they did not actively support the war in Ukraine or have any links with the army.

The same conditions applied to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics at which 15 Russians and 17 Belarusians competed, winning a combined five medals.