Belgium at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Alpine skiing
Belgium may not be a traditional winter sports nation, but it left the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing with two medals. It is looking to do even better at the 2026 Games in Milan-Cortina, with several disciplines offering realistic medal prospects. Today, Belga English looks at alpine skiing.
Due to its geography, Belgium is not known as an alpine skiing nation. But recent results suggest that may be changing. Two athletes in particular have been putting the country on the map this season: Walloon slalom specialist Armand Marchant and Flemish giant slalom skier Sam Maes. Their breakthrough performances follow several years of steady progress at World Cup level.
In November, Marchant became the first Belgian to win a medal in the Alpine Skiing World Cup. He finished second in the slalom in Gurgl, Austria, just seven hundredths of a second behind winner Frenchman Paco Rassat. The sport is traditionally dominated by mountainous nations such as Switzerland, Austria and Canada.
"I am speechless. I come from such a small country, no mountains," Marchant said after the race. "It has been really tough. I had a lot of injuries and always fought back to be able to live this dream. You work for this for years, and in the end you can say it was really worth it."
Long road to success
Marchant’s achievement followed a long and uncertain recovery. A serious fall in 2017 left him with a fractured tibia, a torn meniscus and ruptured cruciate ligaments. He underwent multiple knee operations and nearly three years of rehabilitation, during which his team even questioned whether he would ever ski competitively again. Despite those doubts, the Walloon ski federation continued to back him, a decision vindicated by his World Cup medal.
"I am speechless. I come from such a small country, no mountains"
One week after Marchant’s historic result, Sam Maes delivered a career-best performance of his own, finishing seventh in the giant slalom at the World Cup in Copper Mountain in the United States.
For the 27-year-old, a multiple medallist at junior world championships, the step up to the top level also took time. After several seasons of gradual improvement, he appears to have made a clear breakthrough this winter.
Olympic optimism
Both skiers have had modest Olympic results in the past. Marchant missed the Pyeongchang Games in 2018 through injury and finished 22nd in the slalom at Beijing 2022. Maes placed 32nd in the giant slalom in 2018 and failed to complete his first run four years later. Heading towards the Milan Cortina Games in 2026, however, expectations within Team Belgium are noticeably higher.
That optimism depends on both staying healthy throughout the demanding World Cup calendar. Alpine skiers can still collect Olympic qualification points until January 18, making consistency and participation crucial. Missing races can quickly result in a sharp drop in the rankings.
"The chance of an Olympic medal definitely exists," Karen Persyn, technical director of the Walloon ski federation, recently told Het Nieuwsblad. "If everything comes together at the right moment, it is possible."
#FlandersNewsService | Armand Marchant © PHOTO OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP
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