Dubliner Comerford launched Team Ireland’s Olympic campaign on Saturday as he became Ireland’s 34th Winter Olympian, while Maloney Westgård finished his first race of three on Sunday.

Cormac Comerford competed in the Men’s Downhill on the iconic Stelvio Slope, with the  Alpine skier recording a time of 2:04.40 to finish 34th. 

A time of 2:04.40 for @cormaccomerford in the men’s alpine skiing downhill #rtesport #TeamIreland #MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/S2RsJCq6gR

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 7, 2026

The Glenageary skier was the final athlete to start in the downhill field. Starting last brought added pressure, with the track heavily worn by the time Comerford pushed out of the gate, but he successfully negotiated the course to bring his Olympic debut safely to the finish.

Olympic debut

Commenting on his Winter Olympics debut, the 29-year-old said:

“It’s an incredible feeling to make my Olympic debut today in this weather, on this slope. To bring it down Stelvio is a huge achievement, coming from the artificial slope back home. There’s a huge sense of pride. I made a few mistakes in the run, it felt smoother in training, but that’s racing and I’m really proud to have brought it down.”

Really challenging course

Olympic veteran Norwegian-born Thomas Maloney Westgård finished his first race of three with a 35th place in the Men’s 10km + 10km Skiathlon in a time of 49.24.6.

Competition took place in relatively mild conditions creating a tough course for the athletes in the event which involves skiers competing 10km using classic skis before transitioning to a 10km free skating finish. Wearing bib 36 off the start, in what is his least preferred discipline, Maloney Westgård stuck with the opening hectic pace.

Speaking afterwards, the thirty-year-old three-time Olympian said:

“That was a tough one. Soft conditions and quite icy and tricky in the downhills and crusty corners. So it was a really challenging course for sure. Just like it should be in the Olympics. I was a bit anxious on some of the downhill. So, yeah, I’m happy to have started the Olympics.”

Back in action on February 11th

The next competition for Team Ireland is the Men’s Super-G in Alpine Skiing, with Cormac Comerford racing in his second event on the 11 February in Bormio. Following that action, attention moves back to Predazzo, when Thomas Maloney Westgård switches his focus to the 10km Free.

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