Swiss athletes enjoy Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Nino Niederreiter and Fanny Smith led out the Swiss athletes in Italy Keystone / Peter Klaunzer

The 25th Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, are underway with Nino Niederreiter and Fanny Smith leading out the 175 Swiss athletes at the opening ceremony on Friday evening.

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Milan’s San Siro stadium was transformed into a stage for Harmony and Magic – the motto of the show directed by Marco Balich. For the first time in the history of the Winter Games, the opening ceremony was staged at more than one venue – also in the stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Two Olympic flames are now burning for the first time in the two main host cities.

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The highlight for Switzerland was the Parade of Nations at both venues. In Milan, ice hockey star Nino Niederreiter led the Swiss delegation onto the pitch.

At the same time, ski cross star Fanny Smith had the honour of carrying the Swiss flag at in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Despite the geographical separation of some 400 kilometres, they formed the symbolic leadership duo for the 175 athletes of Swiss Olympic.

From the stands in Milan, Swiss President Guy Parmelin applauded the athletes.

Cultural icons

Culturally, the celebration focused on Made in Italy. A segment paid tribute to the fashion icon Giorgio Armani, who passed away last September and whose designs shaped Italian aesthetics worldwide.

The evening offered a diverse musical programme. United States singer Mariah Carey performed, as did Italian icons Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, and Cecilia Bartoli, while star pianist Lang Lang provided the quieter moments as the Olympic flag was raised.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), headed by new president Kirsty Coventry, wants to overshadow global political discord with a message of peace.

The former Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe told Olympians that she knew exactly what they were feeling: a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

“I am because we are,” she told Olympians. True strength, she said, lies not only in winning, but in “courage, empathy, and heart.” She called for the Games to be a celebration of what unites humanity.

Swiss medal hopes

The ceremony concluded at 10:51pm with Italian President Sergio Mattarella announcing the traditional words: “I declare the XXV Olympic Winter Games of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo open.” He then gave the signal to light the Olympic flame.

Around 3,000 athletes will compete for glory in northern Italy until the end of the Games on February 22. The addition of the ski mountaineering race to the program has increased the number of medals to 116 – the most at any Winter Games.

Switzerland hopes to build on its successes from Beijing 2022, when it brought home 15 medals, including seven golds.

Adapted from German by AI/mga

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