Andrea Giovannini takes mass start bronze as Italia Team wins its 30th Olympic medal

• SPEED SKATING

Italy’s 30th medal (10 gold, six silver and 14 bronze) at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games bears the signature of Andrea Giovannini. The 32-year-old from Trentino, having celebrated gold four days earlier in the team pursuit alongside Davide Ghiotto and Michele Malfatti, fought back to secure bronze in the mass start — a discipline in which over the course of his distinguished career he has claimed two consecutive World Cup titles (2024 and 2025), two European Championship medals (silver in Kolomna 2018 and bronze in Tomaszów Mazowiecki 2026) and two World Championship medals (bronze in Heerenveen 2023 and historic gold in Hamar 2025). Giovannini is the second Italian to reach the Olympic podium in the mass start, introduced at the Games at PyeongChang 2018, after Francesca Lollobrigida, who also took bronze four years ago in Beijing 2022.

The experienced Italian qualified for the final by finishing fourth in the last semi-final with 13 sprint points behind France’s Timothy Loubineaud (61), China’s Yu Wu (40) and the Netherlands’ Stijn van de Bunt (24). In the final, it was fellow Dutch skater Jorrit Bergsma who raised his arms in triumph (gold with 68), launching an early break and holding off a fierce late surge from Denmark’s Viktor Hald Thorup (silver with 47), the only skater to pursue the leader. On the third step of the Olympic podium stood Giovannini (21), who, after an extremely tactical race in which he was unable to break clear from the pack, prevailed in the finishing sprint in the battle for the top three ahead of American Jordan Stolz (fourth with 10).

Deromedis triumphs in Livigno ahead of Tomasoni: epic Italian one-two in men’s ski cross

• FREESTYLE

Italy made history at Livigno Snow Park. Simone Deromedis and Federico Tomasoni claimed gold and silver respectively, delivering an epic Italian one-two in the men’s ski cross little more than 24 hours before the conclusion of competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.

It represents only the second and third Italian medals ever in an Olympic freestyle event, following Flora Tabanelli’s bronze five days ago. A double podium unprecedented in this discipline for the Italian colours, which made its Olympic debut just 16 years ago at Vancouver 2010. In a matter of minutes, the Italy Team signed off on its 28th and 29th medals (10 gold, six silver and 13 bronze) of these home Winter Games, simultaneously reaching double figures for gold medals.

Deromedis, fifth at Beijing 2022, world champion in February 2023 at the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, and arriving at Milano Cortina 2026 fresh from victory on 31 January at Park Monzoni in the second World Cup race at Passo San Pellegrino, began his campaign on the snow of the Valtellina venue with the ninth-fastest time (1:07.55) in the seeding round. Tomasoni, third three years ago in the mixed team at the World Championships alongside Jole Galli and competing in his first individual Olympic final (sixth again at Bakuriani in the individual race and with a best World Cup finish of fifth in December 2023 at Arosa, Switzerland), recorded the 17th fastest time (1:08.01) in the preliminary phase.

The 25-year-old from Trentino and the 28-year-old from Bergamo then finished first and second in their respective round-of-16 heats, before producing outstanding teamwork in both the quarter-final and opening semi-final, where on both occasions Deromedis crossed the line ahead of Tomasoni, guaranteeing Italy a medal. In the big final reserved for the top four skiers, the Val di Non phenomenon produced a start to remember, immediately taking control from the first turn — never relinquishing it — and carrying the victory home in champion’s style.

Behind him, amid the celebrations of the Italian crowd lining the course in Livigno, the skier from Castione della Presolana, born in 1997, snatched silver in a photo finish ahead of Switzerland’s Alex Fiva (bronze), sealing the top two steps of the podium for Italy. Tomasoni immediately pointed to the sky in memory of his partner Matilde Lorenzi, the young Italian women’s alpine skiing prospect who passed away in October 2024. Japan’s Satoshi Furuno finished fourth. There was disappointment for the other two Italians in action, Dominik Zuech and Edoardo Zorzi, whose campaigns ended respectively in the quarter-finals and round of 16. (agc)

Record-breaking Milano Cortina, General Secretary Carlo Mornati: “This truly is the strongest Italia Team ever”

• OLYMPIC GAMES

On the morning of the penultimate day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, CONI General Secretary and Chef de Mission Carlo Mornati addressed the press from Casa Italia Livigno, offering reflections on Italy’s performances at these Games and on the pathway that has enabled the Italia Team to reach a record tally of 29 medals (including ten gold), with competitions still to be concluded.

“When we discussed medal projections, I went so far as to say that this would be our strongest Olympic team ever. We had the highest Olympic Index in our history in winter disciplines — the algorithm that takes into account all athletes' performances weighted across the 116 events of the Games: it stood at 6.58 and after nineteen days of competition it has risen to 7.15. The result is exceptional. Today, even with the Games not yet finished, we can say that we truly have the strongest Azzurri team ever, and that it has translated this strength into medals,” Carlo Mornati began during the press conference in Livigno, in the presence of Deputy Chef de Mission Elisa Santoni (Valtellina Cluster Manager), with links to the other hospitality houses. At Casa Italia Cortina, hosted at the Farsetti Gallery, Deputy Chef de Mission Vicario Alessio Palombi and Deputy Chef de Mission and Head of Communications and Protocol Danilo Di Tommaso were present, while at Casa Italia in Milan, at the Triennale, Deputy Chefs de Mission Enzo Bartolomeo (Milan Cluster Manager) and Giampiero Pastore (IMSS Manager) attended. Also connected was Deputy Chef de Mission and Val di Fiemme Cluster Manager Alessio Boggiatto.

“This is not a final balance — that will come at the end,” the General Secretary clarified. “But rather a technical reflection towards the close of the Olympics, with many athletes still competing. We entered sixteen disciplines and won medals in ten of them. Behind the numbers lies eight years of work by two federations and by the Olympic Committee, as well as, naturally, the athletes’ efforts,” Mornati explained — just minutes before the remarkable one-two secured by Simone Deromedis (gold) and Federico Tomasoni (silver) in the men’s ski cross, medals number 28 and 29 for Italy — later recalling figures from the Censis report entitled The Social Value of CONI’s Institutional Functions, presented last 16 December. “After Paris we commissioned Censis to carry out a study to verify the true social value behind Italian sporting success. The data were exceptional: for 89% of Italians, across a sample ranging from 15 to 90 years of age, winning Olympic medals is extremely important because it brings prestige and fosters unity within the country, enabling it to hold a prominent position internationally. That is something very beautiful, and the same applies socially. For 87% of Italians, medals won by athletes are important because they encourage young people to take up sport. Knowing that behind these successes there will be more registered members and youngsters approaching sport gives enormous social value to the work we do every day,” Mornati added, recalling scholarships amounting to €1,120,000 and prize money totalling €6,240,000 distributed by CONI. “We are very pleased. Referring again to the Censis report, for 81.3% of Italians it is essential to guarantee financial support to athletes competing at major events and therefore at the Olympic Games. It is not an aspect felt only by us, but one that carries social value for Italians,” Mornati’s words.

Behind the success lies work stretching from the Olympic Preparation Centres to scientific research and sports medicine. “We entered 196 athletes and there are 268 officials. Fifty belong to CONI and 218 to the federations. That is an exceptional number. If there is one field in which CONI is the undisputed Olympic champion, it is precisely this. The Olympic Games average is around 100 officials; we have 168 more. This means every single athlete has an engineer, a physiotherapist, a doctor, a coach and technical support staff well above the average of their competitors,” Carlo Mornati recalled. “Milano Cortina, like Paris, marks the end of a journey. The main strands of CONI’s Olympic preparation are relations with the federations, assistance to athletes, the use of Olympic Preparation Centres and research conducted by the Institute of Sports Medicine and Science. Sport must live daily life alongside athletes and that is what we have tried to do since 2014: full completion came in Paris in 2024, while in Milano Cortina there has been an explosion,” Mornati explained. “In every cluster and structure this small ecosystem has been replicated and the athlete found the same physiotherapist, the same engineer and the same technician who had followed them over the years. Of the 196 athletes across sixteen disciplines, before coming here 104 from nine disciplines were directly supported within this ecosystem. The intervention is at the request of the federations and it means the relevant federations have great trust in CONI’s technical-scientific tools.” (agc)

Italy claim bronze in the men’s relay: Beijing 2022 result confirmed

• SHORT TRACK

Italy secured its fourth short track podium of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. On the ice of the Ice Skating Arena, Pietro Sighel, Thomas Nadalini, Luca Spechenhauser and Andrea Cassinelli claimed bronze in the men’s 5,000m relay, matching the result achieved four years ago at Beijing 2022. It is another celebration for Italian short track following gold in the mixed relay — with Sighel, Nadalini and Spechenhauser standing on the top step of the podium alongside Arianna Fontana, Chiara Betti and Elisa Confortola — and the silver medals won by Fontana in the 500m and by the women’s 3,000m relay team.

Italy – who qualified for the final thanks to a second-place finish in Monday’s semi-final behind Canada – made a measured start, initially sitting towards the back of the field, though briefly moving into the lead between laps 20 and 21. In the closing sprint the Azzurri successfully defended third place from a late Canadian charge (fourth). Gold went to the Netherlands, ahead of South Korea (silver), who, like Italy, replicated their placing from Beijing 2022. In China, alongside Sighel and Cassinelli, Yuri Confortola and Tommaso Dotti had stood on the third step of the podium. Four years on, another medal arrives for Italy’s men’s short track team, delivering the nation’s 27th medal (nine gold, five silver and 13 bronze) at Milano Cortina 2026. (agc)

Silver for Italy in the women’s 3.000m relay, as Arianna Fontana breaks Edoardo Mangiarotti’s record

• SHORT TRACK

A silver born of collective endeavour, yet one that also places a historic seal on the career of a timeless champion. Italy’s 26th medal at Milano Cortina 2026 arrived in the women’s 3,000m short track relay at the Ice Skating Arena and bears the names of Chiara Betti, Elisa Confortola, Arianna Sighel and Arianna Fontana. A team triumph, following gold in the mixed relay on 10 February, but also a long-awaited individual milestone: Fontana claimed her 14th Olympic medal (three gold, six silver, five bronze), becoming the most decorated Italian athlete of all time across both the Winter and Summer Games, surpassing the previous record of 13 podium finishes set by fencing legend Edoardo Mangiarotti.

The Italian quartet (photo Ferdinando Mezzelani/CONI) completed their mission after finishing second in last Saturday’s semi-final behind the Netherlands. This time, however, the Dutch saw their race end on the eleventh lap of the final. Italy, fielding the same line-up as in the semi-final, capitalised on the opportunity, overtaking Canada (bronze medallists) and battling all the way to the final bend against South Korea, who ultimately claimed gold. It was a prestigious silver won in the presence of President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni — who personally congratulated the athletes after the race — accompanied by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio and Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi.

For Arianna Fontana, it is her second silver medal of these Games following her individual podium in the 500 metres, and her record-breaking figures now extend beyond national boundaries. The Italian star moves clear of former Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst (13 medals), drawing level in second place on the all-time Winter Olympic medal table with former Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen (14) and moving to within one of former Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen (15), the most decorated athlete — male or female — in Winter Olympic history. (agc)

Barp and Pellegrino claim bronze in the team sprint (FT): 25th medal for Italia Team at Milano Cortina

• CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Italy’s 25th medal (nine gold, four silver and 12 bronze) at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games has come from cross-country skiing. On the Lago di Tesero course in Val di Fiemme, three days after the third-place finish in the 4x7.5 km relay (C/F), Elia Barp and Federico Pellegrino secured another bronze in the team sprint in free technique — a discipline officially introduced into the Olympic programme only from Torino 2006 onwards, and one in which Italy had never previously reached the podium, either in the men’s or the women’s event.

It marks a second team celebration at these home Games for Barp and Pellegrino (photo Gianpaolo Piazzi/CONI), with Pellegrino having been one of Italy’s two flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium and competing in what is his fourth and final Olympic appearance. The legend from Nus has now signed off on a quartet of Olympic medals, having arrived at Milano Cortina 2026 already boasting two individual silver medals, won respectively at PyeongChang 2018 (classic sprint) and Beijing 2022 (free sprint).

The well-established Italian duo, lining up for this race on the back of two second-place finishes this season at the Swiss World Cup stages in Davos (12 December 2025) and Goms (23 January 2026), immediately displayed their strong affinity with the Dolomite course, posting the third-fastest time in qualifying (5:49.10) and comfortably securing their place in the 15-team final.

Everything was decided in a gripping sixth and final leg. Once again it was Norway’s unbeatable pairing of Einar Hedegart and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo who raised their arms in triumph (gold in 18:28.9), crossing the line ahead of the United States’ Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher (silver at +1.4) and Italy (third at +3.3). It was a stirring performance from Pellegrino, who until the final metres of the home straight attempted — unsuccessfully — to challenge the American duo for second place, before defending Italy’s position on the podium with grit and determination against the late charge of Switzerland’s Janik Riebli and Valerio Grond (fourth at +4.3). (agc)

Moioli and Sommariva take mixed team cross silver as Italy surpass Lillehammer 1994 record

• SNOWBOARD

A historic day for the Azzurri. With Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva claiming silver in the mixed team snowboard cross, Italia Team secures its 21st medal at Milano Cortina 2026, surpassing the 20-podium record set at Lillehammer 1994. The medal came between Federica Brignone’s giant slalom gold and Lisa Vittozzi’s biathlon pursuit triumph (podium number 22).
After dominating the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the Italian duo finished second in the Big Final, 0.85 behind Great Britain’s Huw Nightingale and Charlotte Bankes, and ahead of France’s Loan Bozzolo and Lea Casta. The other Italian team - Sofia Groblechner and Omar Visintin - exited in the quarter-finals. It marks snowboard’s third medal of these Games for Italy, following Moioli’s individual cross bronze and Lucia Dalmasso’s parallel giant slalom bronze.

“The greatest satisfaction is seeing our athletes on the podium in nine different disciplines. That shows the federations, the military sports groups and CONI’s Olympic preparation have worked for the benefit of all disciplines and that we are contributing to a widespread sporting culture,” commented CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio. “With our venues, teams and athletes we are sending a message of positivity, healthy living and strong values to the younger generation. Italy is proving to be a protagonist in winter disciplines as well as summer ones, thanks to the excellent organisation of the federations and sports groups, supported by CONI’s Olympic preparation team. Nothing happens by chance.”
He added: “We are well advanced in planning for Los Angeles, identifying members of the Olympic club and coordinating with each federation. Italian sport — CONI, the sporting bodies, federations, promotion entities and associated disciplines — is pursuing professionalism.”

Federica Brignone triumphs in giant slalom: historic Olympic double like Alberto Tomba

• ALPINE SKIING

A seventh gold, a 20th medal, and the Lillehammer legend finally matched. With one week of competition still remaining at Milano Cortina 2026, Italy Team equals its Winter Olympic record — set 32 years ago in Norway — and does so in the name of Federica Brignone, victorious in giant slalom, her signature event and the discipline in which she has claimed 17 World Cup wins.

After gold in the super-G three days ago, the Italian star (photo Simone Ferraro/CONI) once again masters the iconic Olympia delle Tofane in Cortina and secures her second victory of the same Olympic edition — a feat previously achieved among Italian skiers only by Alberto Tomba (gold in slalom and giant slalom at Calgary 1988) — all 349 days after the injury that could have ended her career but instead provided the added drive to claim her first Olympic golds, following a silver (giant slalom at Beijing 2022) and two bronzes (giant slalom at PyeongChang 2018 and alpine combined at Beijing 2022).
Brignone — the first woman ever to win both a super-G and a giant slalom at the same Olympic Games — dominates the opening run and defends her 0.34 advantage over Germany’s Lena Duerr (who ultimately finished ninth) and 0.46 over Sofia Goggia, who slipped from third to tenth after her downhill bronze last Sunday.
Lara Della Mea delivers a superb performance to finish fourth, narrowly missing the podium behind joint silver medallists Thea Louise Stjernesund of Norway and Sweden’s Sara Hector (+0.62). Asja Zenere produces a sensational second run, clocking the fastest time and climbing eight places to finish 14th.

“If you want to understand what a phenomenon is, look at Federica: she is smiling now, but when she was doing physiotherapy in Turin in the early days, she cried from the pain. Perhaps, in a small way, I contributed when I decided to entrust her with the role of flag bearer, because her mother told me after we won the first gold medal: ‘When you called, I saw in Federica’s eyes the desire to do it at all costs.’ That is a wonderful satisfaction,” revealed CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio.
“Working with athletes of this level is very difficult, because you cannot be banal, you cannot improvise; you must know your role, know what they need and try to put them in the best possible condition. With all the pressure she had at that moment, winning proves she truly has all the qualities of a leader,” he added.

Italy return to the Olympic podium after 20 years: Azzurri claim relay bronze in Val di Fiemme

• CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Italy’s men once again secure an Olympic relay podium place. At Lago di Tesero in Val di Fiemme, the quartet made up (in order of appearance) of Davide Graz (classic technique), Elia Barp (classic technique), Martino Carollo (free technique) and Federico Pellegrino (free technique) captured bronze over the new 4x7.5km (C/F) distance. It is the sixth men’s team medal in Italian Olympic history (photo Gianpalo Piazzi/CONI), marking a return to the top three in this discipline after a 20-year wait, following two golds (Lillehammer 1994–Turin 2006) and three silvers (Albertville 1992–Nagano 1998–Salt Lake City 2002). On all five previous occasions the longer 4x10km format was contested.

There were embraces, emotion and tears at the finish line, particularly for Pellegrino, one of Italy Team’s two flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium alongside short track skater Arianna Fontana, and competing in what represents his fourth and final Olympic Games. For the 35-year-old from the Aosta Valley it is also the third consecutive Olympic medal of his career (his first in a team event), following individual silvers at PyeongChang 2018 (classic sprint) and Beijing 2022 (free sprint). It is Italy’s 19th medal (six golds, three silvers and 10 bronzes) at Milano Cortina 2026, leaving the Azzurri just one short of the historic record of 20 set 32 years ago at Lillehammer 1994.

Graz produced an excellent opening leg, lying third behind Norway and the United States. Barp’s section was slightly less incisive but he still completed his stint in the top three, again behind Norway and Finland. The baton then passed to Carollo (fourth, behind Norway, France and Finland), with Pellegrino taking over 21 seconds adrift of the leading trio. Yet the Nus star produced a sensational comeback, already closing on Finland’s Niko Anttola at 26.2km before decisively powering past him on the final climb.

Victory went to Norway’s seemingly invincible quartet of Emil Iversen, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Einar Hedegart and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who eased to gold in 1:04:24.5. France, represented by Théo Schely, Hugo Lapalus, Mathis Desloges and Victor Lovera, claimed silver at +22.2, while Italy, finishing 47.9 seconds off the pace, secured bronze and comfortably won the sprint for third ahead of Finland’s Lauri Vuorinen, Ivo Niskanen, Arsi Ruuskanen and the aforementioned Anttola (fourth at +57.1).

Big Air: Flora Tabanelli produces heroics to claim historic bronze in Livigno

• FREESTYLE

A remarkable feat under the floodlights of Livigno Snow Park. Just over three months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Stubai, 18-year-old Flora Tabanelli claimed a sensational bronze in big air at Milano Cortina 2026.

Olympic Youth champion at Gangwon 2024 and reigning world champion and World Cup crystal globe holder in the discipline, Tabanelli becomes the first Italian freestyle skier — male or female — to reach an Olympic podium. Competing at her first senior Olympic Games, she delivers Italy’s 23rd medal (eight golds, four silvers and 11 bronzes), with six days of competition still remaining.

She qualified sixth with 161.50 points, then in the final — delayed over an hour due to wind and snowfall — scored 90.00 on her opening trick and 94.25 on her third run, combined with 84.00 from her second attempt for a total of 178.25. Only Canada’s Megan Oldham (180.75) and China’s Ailing Eileen Gu (179.00) finished higher. Fellow Italian Maria Gasslitter placed ninth with 159.25, capping another excellent performance in her debut senior season.