Olympics: Austin Florian’s helmet goes viral

U.S. Olympic skeleton competitor Austin Florian caught the eye of social media on Wednesday for the unimaginable design featured on his gear.

Florian raced within the warmth along with his helmet styled just like the cartoon character Venom. Olympic followers on social media had been fascinated by the paintings.

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Austin Florian of america begins a males’s skeleton run on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, February 12, 2026. (AP Picture/Aijaz Rahi)

He completed 14th within the first warmth with a time of 56.95. It was the very best begin within the area and boded nicely for the combined group occasion later within the Video games. He moved as much as thirteenth within the second run, scoring a time of 1:53.54. The third preliminary spherical begins on Friday.

Florian’s teammate, Dan Barefoot, was nineteenth regardless of a major shoulder damage.

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Austin Florian of america begins males’s skeletal coaching on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, February 10, 2026. (AP Picture/Aijaz Rahi)

All the occasion was overshadowed by the controversy that occurred early Thursday. Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Olympics for refusing to put on a helmet that will not make a political assertion. His helmet depicted the Ukrainian athletes and coaches who fell sufferer to the nation’s struggle with Russia.

Florian mentioned he was conscious of the controversy as Heraskevych would compete for him.

“We’re typically fairly centered on what we’re doing. We’re conscious of it,” Florian mentioned. ‘Everyone seems to be in fact conscious of it. And we strive to not let it have an effect on us, however you have to do what you have to do, and he’ll do what he’ll do ultimately. And it is a disgrace.’

Austin Florian of america arrives on the end line throughout males’s skeleton coaching on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Picture/Alessandra Tarantino)

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Briton Matt Weston led the sphere after the primary two heats.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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