A year ago in Sölden, in his first race after returning to the sport, Pinheiro Braathen took off his skis and broke into a dance in front of roaring fans on the Rettenbach course, celebrating an impressive fourth-place finish.
He went a step further a month later in Beaver Creek, Colorado, where, after securing a historic podium, he showed off his samba moves on the podium, wearing cowboy boots. “There’s nothing I love more than to feel like I get to be the man of the hour, the man in the show,” he said.
“I’m not driven solely by statistics, medals, or trophies. For me, I live for those moments. Those moments are what make me feel alive, and it’s what I chase every single day — to once again be in front of tens of thousands of people and just be who I am, unapologetically. That feeling is pure bliss. It’s euphoria. It’s something I wish everyone could experience once in their life, you know?”
Being an entertainer is a trait he has nurtured since childhood. “For me, it started off with my first source of inspiration, which was dance and music. My dad would buy me all the Michael Jackson music video albums, and I would watch them on repeat. Several times a week, I’d have my family sit on the couch, ready for a performance around 6 or 7 p.m., and I’d practise the whole choreography, then perform for them.
“At that time, I never dared to bring that outside the house. But I loved being that version of myself within my safe space. And I’m very proud to now bring that same energy to a big stage like the World Cup — and this year, the Olympics — because that’s exactly what I’m chasing every single day.”