Abhinav Bindra named torch bearer for 2026 Winter Olympics

Abhinav Bindra also carried the Olympic flame at Paris 2024.

India’s Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra will once again have the honour of carrying the Olympic torch, this time for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

The legendary shooter, who brought India its first-ever individual gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 10m air rifle event, shared the news on social media on Wednesday.

“Truly humbled to be chosen as a torchbearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay. The Olympic flame has always held a special place in my heart — a symbol of dreams, perseverance, and the unity that sport brings to our world,” Bindra wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

“To carry it once again is both an honour and a beautiful reminder of what sport makes possible. Thank you, @milanocortina2026, for this incredible honour.”

This will be Bindra’s second time carrying the Olympic flame. Previously he served as a torchbearer for the Paris Olympics 2024 in France.

The Olympic flame for the 2026 Winter Games will be lit in Olympia, Greece, in late November 2025 before arriving in Rome on December 4.

Also Read: All medals won by India at Summer Olympics

From there, it will embark on a 63-day journey across Italy, covering around 12,000 kilometres and involving over 10,000 torchbearers. The relay will finally conclude at the Opening Ceremony in Milan on February 6, 2026, marking the start of the Games.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are expected to bring together around 2,900 athletes from more than 90 countries, competing across 16 sports. Meanwhile, the Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 6–15, 2026.

Speaking of the torch relay, it remains one of the most cherished traditions in Olympic history. The flame is lit in Olympia using the sun’s rays. The first torchbearer usually remains a Greek athlete who begins the flame’s journey.

Italy has hosted the Winter Olympics three times before. Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted the first in 1956, followed by Turin in 2006. The 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo will mark the first time the Winter Olympics are co-hosted by two cities.

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