Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra to be a torch-bearer for 2026 Winter Olympics

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was on Wednesday selected as a torch-bearer for next year's Winter Games.

The Winter Olympics 2026 will be held between February 6 and February 22 at Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy.

“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 X page.

“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,” Bindra, a gold winner in the 10m air-rifle event in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, added.

This will be the fourth Winter Olympics to be hosted by Italy.

This edition will feature 116 medal events across 16 disciplines, an increase of seven events and one discipline over Beijing 2022.