Federica Brignone is the queen of selfies
The Fan Village of Milano Cortina 2026, in Piazza del Cannone, hosted a special event dedicated to the values of sport, energy and the Olympic legacy, with two absolute protagonists of Italian skiing: Deborah Compagnoni and Federica Brignone. The event, moderated by Luca Orsini, representative of the Milan Cortina 2026 Foundation, opened with a moment on stage dedicated to Deborah Compagnoni, followed by a talk with a double interview together with Federica Brignone. A symbolic passing of the baton between two generations of champions, recalling how Compagnoni was the last Italian to win Olympic gold in Giant Slalom.
During her speech, Deborah Compagnoni, an icon of Italian sport with three Olympic gold and silver medals, three world titles and a World Cup in Giant Slalom, recounted the deeply symbolic value of her role in the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games. Chosen a year ago by Coca-Cola as torchbearer for the Journey of the Olympic Flame, she was then given the honor of lighting the Olympic Brazier at the Peace Arch, one of the most iconic moments of the Games. A legend of alpine skiing, Compagnoni wrote indelible pages of Italian and international Olympic history, embodying values of passion, determination and inclusion also shared by Coca-Cola and the Olympic Movement.
“Milan Cortina 2026 is a collective celebration, a reminder of the Olympic values that keep us united,” Deborah Compagnoni recounted. “That is why it was a great honor to be chosen by Coca-Cola among the first torchbearers of the Olympic Flame Journey. The Flame represents a message of unity, inclusion and hope. Together we wanted to tell the story that sports can bring people together and leave a positive legacy that goes beyond competition: a sense of pride, belonging and unity, especially for the younger generation.”
The talk continued with an emotional moment: the arrival on stage of Federica Brignone, Italy’s most successful female skier ever, with five Olympic medals-including two golds in Super G and Giant Slalom at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games-seven World Cups (two overall and five specialty) and five world medals. Together with Deborah, Federica gave a dynamic and engaging interview, tracing successes, challenges and shared values.
Federica Brignone is Powerade Ambassador for Milan Cortina 2026, a role that reflects the brand’s message, centered on the balance between performance and inner strength, and the ability to overcome any challenge with determination. Powerade’s “Pause is Power To Perform” campaign promotes an innovative approach to sports performance. It invites athletes of all levels to recognize the value of pause moments as an act of strength and resilience, supporting mental and physical well-being to come back stronger than before.
“At the beginning of my career, I thought performance meant always pushing hard,” explained Federica Brignone. “Then I realized that real growth comes when you learn to listen to yourself, even in your downtime. During my injury I learned that stopping does not mean losing, but preparing to come back stronger. The message from Powerade, who stood by me as I rebuilt my journey, perfectly represents what I experienced: pausing is not a limitation, but an essential part of performance.”
After the meeting, Federica stopped by the Powerade Area of the Fan Village to meet the audience and share her experience as an athlete and ambassador. The event was a moment of great participation and inspiration, able to tell, through the stories of two icons of Italian skiing, the cultural and value legacy of Milan Cortina 2026: energy, passion and connection with the public.
