Venom was going for gold.
The Marvel comic book character wasn’t competing in the Olympics, of course, but it sure looked like he was.
His white eyes and sharp teeth glided down the ice at superhero-like speeds thanks to Austin Florian of the U.S. skeleton team.
Florian, while competing at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, wore a custom designed helmet depicting the character’s face. The 31-year-old from Connecticut finished in 12th place, but he still made headlines and went viral for his helmet.
Annegret Hilse/Reuters via Imagn Images
Annegret Hilse/Reuters via Imagn Images Austin Florian of United States in a men’s skeleton individual run during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Sliding Centre.
He’s not the only skeleton star that turned a helmet into a work of art.
There have been designs of animals, an actual skeleton, and other patriotic symbols. Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych attempted to wear a helmet honoring more than 20 of the country’s athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia, but was disqualified because it broke a rule against making political statements on the Olympic field of play.
Here’s a look at some other skeleton helmet designs at the Games.
Jane Channell – Canada
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Zheng Yin – China
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Mystique Ro – United States
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Valentina Margaglio – Italy
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Nicholas Timmings – Australia
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Kim Meylemans – Belgium
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Qinwei Lin – China
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Sujung Hong – South Korea
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images
Hallie Clarke – Canada
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Dan Zhao – China
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Kellie Delka – Puerto Rico
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Alessandra Fumagalli – Italy
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Jisoo Kim – South Korea
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
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