ANTA Wins The Technical Fabric War Against Nike ACG And Fila at Milano Cortina

China’s Ning Zhongyan has claimed men’s 1,500m speed skating gold at Milano Cortina 2026 with a new Olympic record, denying U.S. favorite Jordan Stolz a third straight individual title and adding another performance chapter to these Winter Games. The result lands as technical outerwear and performance footwear from ANTA, Fila and Nike ACG move into the spotlight, underscoring how performance brands are racing to own the visual language of ice, snow, and speed in Milan and beyond.

Ning’s Olympic Record Moment

Ning stopped the clock in 1:41.98, setting a new Olympic record and securing his first Olympic gold after earlier bronzes in the 1,000m and team pursuit. Skating in the 13th pair, he outran defending champion Kjeld Nuis and then held off Stolz, who finished 0.77 seconds slower to take silver, with Nuis in bronze.

The win delivers China’s first speed skating gold of these Games and continues Ning’s rise from a seventh place finish at Beijing 2022 to the top of a deeper, faster field where four athletes dipped under the previous Olympic record.

Performance Brands on The Olympic Stage

Around Milano Cortina, ANTA, Fila, and Nike ACG are all using the Games window to show where performance apparel and footwear are heading, particularly in alpine environments. ANTA continues to lean on its Olympic partnerships to underline its position in winter sports, while Fila’s alpine and retro ski language keeps it visible across après and lifestyle segments.

Nike is putting fresh weight behind ACG, formally relaunching the line as an outdoor performance brand focused on trail running, hiking, and exploration, with product stories that easily translate to a Winter Games backdrop. The collection features models like the ACG Ultrafly and ACG Zegama alongside insulated pieces such as the Lava Loft jacket, designed to handle mixed terrain and shifting conditions.

ACG’s Performance Reset

Nike is positioning ACG as a dedicated outdoor performance line with high quality gear for athletes who push their limits in all conditions, folding Nike Trail into the label and using it as a hub for off road innovation. The brand is backing that with an All Conditions Racing Department of trail athletes who test prototypes and push footwear and apparel to failure in real conditions.

Event partnerships, from the Chongli 168 Ultra Trail to races like Broken Arrow Skyrace and Gorge Waterfalls, extend that story globally and help ACG connect its product testing narrative to visible race moments. For readers tracking how brands show up around Milan and in winter sports more broadly, ACG’s relaunch signals Nike’s intent to stay in the technical outdoor conversation rather than ceding ground to specialist players.

Why This Matters

Ning’s 1,500m gold is a reminder that Winter Games still function as a live lab for performance, where every fraction of a second is tied to equipment, layering, and recovery gear as much as raw talent. At the same time, ANTA, Fila, and Nike ACG are all using this season to push products that blur the line between pure sport and everyday wear, from trail shoes capable of technical descents to insulated jackets designed for both mountains and city streets.

For athletes, fans, and collectors, that convergence means more product built for real conditions, but also a tighter visual link between what’s seen on podiums and what shows up later on shelves.