Spanish Winter Olympians Celebrated as Government Boosts Support for Ice Sports
Spain honors its 2026 Winter Olympic athletes with royal and governmental receptions as calls rise for more support and facilities for ice sports.
- • Spain’s winter Olympic team, including Ana Alonso and Oriol Cardona, received official recognition from the King, Queen, and Prime Minister.
- • Spain won three medals in ski mountaineering, with Cardona earning gold — the first winter Olympic gold for Spain since 1972.
- • The government has tripled funding for winter sports federations in support of continued success.
- • Frank González of the Ice Sports Federation called for a high-performance center in Spain to support ice athletes who mostly train abroad.
Key details
The Spanish Olympic winter sports team was officially received by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the Palacio de La Zarzuela as well as by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at La Moncloa, recognizing their historic achievements at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Standout athletes Ana Alonso and Oriol Cardona were specially honored; Alonso secured two bronze medals in ski mountaineering, while Cardona won gold and bronze, marking Spain's first winter Olympic gold since 1972. The Spanish team, comprised of 20 athletes including 13 men and 7 women, earned three medals in ski mountaineering, a sport featured for the first time at the Olympics.
Prime Minister Sánchez praised the athletes for their dedication and success, announcing that the government has tripled funding for winter sports federations to support further development of these disciplines. This reception was attended by sports officials such as Minister of Education Milagros Tolón and Spanish Olympic Committee President Alejandro Blanco.
In parallel, Frank González, president of the Real Federación Española de Deportes de Hielo (RFEDH), urged the government to invest in advanced facilities for ice sports, highlighting the need for a high-performance center within Spain. He lauded the efforts of the seven Spanish ice athletes who competed at the Games, including ice dancers Sofía Val and Asaf Kazimov, who reached the finals and finished 19th. Val trains in Madrid, whereas most athletes have trained abroad due to limited infrastructure in Spain. González emphasized this as a hurdle to expanding the presence of ice sports athletes nationally.
Tomàs Guarino, who competed in men's singles figure skating, faced challenges due to music rights issues, finishing 25th. Speed skaters Nil Llop and Daniel Milagros also competed, with Llop overcoming a serious injury and Milagros attributing his progress to hard work despite being relatively new to the sport.
This comprehensive recognition and the government’s financial commitment aim to build upon Spain’s groundbreaking performances and foster continued growth in winter sports, especially ice disciplines that currently lack sufficient domestic training facilities.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
