He finishes the Olympic slalom 50 seconds behind, but he is a hero in his country
Arif Mohammad Khan has become a hero in India after his participation in the Olympic slalom race at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. The skier, the first Indian athlete ever to compete in two consecutive Winter Olympics, placed 39th in the men’s slalom event in Bormio.
Khan was among the 44 skiers who neither forked nor fell, and he crossed the finish line 50 seconds behind the front-runner. In the first run in the morning, held under heavy snowfall, he did not want to take any risks and took the slalom calmly, without any mistakes, arriving at the finish line 27 seconds behind leader McGrath.
Khan was one of 44 skiers who did not straddle or fall, and arrived 27 seconds behind the leader.
In the second run he was just as solid, skiing cautiously and without making mistakes, arriving at the finish line 50 seconds overall behind race winner Loïc Meillard of Switzerland.
The 35-year-old skier was India’s flag bearer in the opening ceremony and is undoubtedly the country’s best-known and strongest skier. “If you are an athlete, this should be your dream” he had written on Instagram upon’arrival at the Games in Milan Cortina.
Arif has faced injuries and financial difficulties on his way to the Games: “My journey is not just about myself. It is about showing young athletes that no matter where you come from, if you dream big and work hard you can achieve any goal”.
His source of inspiration was Gul Mustafa Dev, the first ever Indiando athlete to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, laying the path for future Indian skiers.
