Philippines flag held high in MilanMANILA, Philippines — Philippine bets Francis Ceccarelli and Tallulah Proulx, both in Alpine skiing, were all smiles and waved the flag as the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opened on Friday with a glittering ceremony at the San Siro stadium echoed by festivities at Games venues across the snow-capped Italian Alps. Ceccarelli, 22, and Proulx, 17, will see action in both the Giant Slalom and Slalom events from Feb. 14 to 18. Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, two Italian skiing Olympic champions of the past, lit an intricate cauldron inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s knot patterns at Milan’s Arch of Peace. The ceremony in Milan showcased Italy’s rich cultural heritage, with a nod to late fashion giant Giorgio Armani. An otherwise harmonious event was punctuated by loud boos from the crowd when US Vice President JD Vance appeared on the big screen at the San Siro stadium.

Source: Philippine Star February 07, 2026 16:43 UTC