The Refugee Olympic Team's First Winter Medal – A Story of Resilience
Samir Al-Hassan, who fled Syria in 2019 and lost two fingers to frostbite crossing a Bulgarian mountain pass, won bronze in the men's 15km classic.
MILANO CORTINA, Italy – For six years, the Refugee Olympic Team had competed. They had never won a medal. At Milano Cortina 2026, that changed.
Samir Al-Hassan, a 27-year-old cross-country skier who fled Syria in 2019, won bronze in the men's 15km classic — the first medal ever for the Refugee Olympic Team in any Olympic Games, summer or winter.
He finished 8.3 seconds behind gold medalist Johannes H. Klaebo (Norway). But the margin did not matter. When Al-Hassan crossed the line, he collapsed into the snow and wept.
"I left my country with nothing," he said, voice shaking, an olive wreath on his head. "Now I have an Olympic medal. I don't know how to explain this."
THE JOURNEY
Al-Hassan grew up in Damascus, learning to ski on the Syria-Lebanon border where a single tow rope served a small mountain. When war closed the slopes in 2015, he walked to Turkey, then to Greece, then to Germany. In refugee camps, he spent 11 months with no skis and no hope. He lost two fingers to frostbite crossing a Bulgarian mountain pass. He watched his younger brother drown in the Aegean Sea.
"In a camp in Lesbos, a volunteer gave me a book about the Olympics," he said. "I read it every night. I decided: I will ski again."
Resettled in Norway in 2021, a local ski club took him in. Within two years he was racing FIS events. Within three, he'd qualified for the Refugee team.
THE RACE
Al-Hassan's pre-race ranking was 47th in the world. Heavy snowfall softened the track, neutralizing explosive power and favoring his perfect classic technique. In the final 5km, he passed seven athletes.
"He paced it perfectly," said Norwegian coach Eirik Myhr Nossum, who knows Al-Hassan from training sessions. "That's not luck. That's guts."
Klaebo sought out Al-Hassan before celebrating his own gold. "Samir," he said, embracing him. "You are the true champion today."
At the medal ceremony, a young girl ran onto the track and handed Al-Hassan a small Syrian flag — the one he cannot officially carry. He folded it carefully and placed it inside his racing suit, over his heart.
"This is for my brother," he said. "He never made it to Europe. But he is here. I know he is here."
He plans to use his $50,000 IOC prize to build ski programs for refugee children in Norway and Germany.
Devin Mallonee
Devin Mallonee is a sports journalist and performance nutrition writer with over a decade of experience covering elite athletics, Olympic competitions, and the science of human performance. Devin Mallonee has followed competitive sports from the grassroots level all the way to the world stage, developing a deep understanding of what separates good athletes from great ones — and the role nutrition plays in that equation.
As the lead sports editor at Dad's Sports News, Devin Mallonee brings an athlete's perspective to every story. Having competed in endurance sports and strength training throughout his life, Devin Mallonee understands firsthand what it takes to push past physical limits — and how proper supplementation and recovery make that possible. His writing blends technical analysis with accessible storytelling, making complex topics in sports science engaging for everyday readers and serious competitors alike.
Devin Mallonee has covered major sporting events including international track and field championships, professional strength competitions, and endurance racing circuits across North America. His work has explored the cutting edge of sports nutrition — from emerging research on amino acid timing and creatine loading protocols to the real-world impact of adaptogens on athletic recovery. When Devin Mallonee isn't breaking down the latest competition results, he's testing and reviewing performance supplements to help athletes make informed decisions about what goes into their bodies.
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