President Mattarella meets Goggia and telephones Fontana: “Congratulations, another Olympics of success”
- MILANO CORTINA 2026
After declaring the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games open during the Opening Ceremony at the Stadio San Siro on 6 February, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, returned to the Olympic venues, travelling on this occasion to Cortina d'Ampezzo, where tomorrow he will attend the women’s super-G and visit Casa Italia.
A guest of the Officers’ Club of the Italian Navy, the Head of State met (photo Quirinale) Italy’s alpine skiing champion Sofia Goggia, who will compete tomorrow at 11:30 (alongside fellow Italians Federica Brignone, Laura Pirovano and Elena Curtoni) in the second speed event of these Games, following the bronze medal she secured in Sunday’s downhill.
“Congratulations. It is your third Olympics and your third medal,” Mattarella began during a meeting lasting around half an hour, held in the presence of his daughter, Signora Laura, and the President of CONI, Luciano Buonfiglio. “We are all honoured that you are here to watch and support us. I will pass on your greetings to the whole team,” Goggia told the President of the Republic.
Subsequently, the Deputy Chef de Mission and Head of Communications and Ceremonial, Danilo di Tommaso, handed the phone to President Mattarella, enabling him to congratulate short track champion Arianna Fontana, Italy’s most decorated Winter Olympian with 12 medals, fresh from the gold won yesterday in the mixed relay.
Extending his congratulations to the other members of the Italian team — Chiara Betti, Elisa Confortola, Thomas Nadalini, Pietro Sighel and Luca Spechenhauser — the Head of State celebrated yet another prestigious result for the Lombard skater: “You were magnificent, that gold is worth a great deal. And as for the upcoming races, I shall say nothing. See you soon,” were the words of the Head of State.
“We managed to stay calm and that proved to be the winning formula,” the Italian champion explained over the phone. (agc)
New Italia Team record: Torino 2006 podium tally already equalled after four days
- ELEVEN-MEDAL MARK
Two golds, two silvers and seven bronzes. After four days of competition at Milano Cortina 2026, the Italia Team medal table carries significant statistical weight: the 11 podium finishes have already equalled the total achieved 20 years ago at Torino 2006, until now the most successful Winter Games ever staged on Italian soil.
Another milestone follows last Sunday’s record-breaking six medals in a single day, an all-time best for Italy at the Winter Olympic Games. At present, Milano Cortina already ranks as Italy’s fifth most successful Winter edition, behind Lillehammer 1994, Beijing 2022, Salt Lake City 2002 and Albertville 1992.
And there are still 12 days of competition to come… (agc)
Constantini and Mosaner take bronze in mixed doubles: Great Britain beaten 5–3 in Cortina
- CURLING
For the second consecutive edition, Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner have reached the Olympic podium. On the ice of the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, after their historic gold four years ago at Beijing 2022, the Italian duo secured bronze in the mixed doubles tournament, signing Italy’s second-ever Olympic curling medal in Winter Games history.
The reigning world champions (photo ANSA), after finishing the round robin in second place (six wins and three defeats) and narrowly losing 9–8 in the semi-final against the United States pairing of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, faced Great Britain’s formidable Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat in the bronze medal match – the same British team that had beaten Italy 9–6 in the eighth preliminary round fixture.
This time, however, buoyed by the fervent support inside the Ampezzo arena, it was Constantini and Mosaner who prevailed, defeating the British side 5–3. A highly tactical, low-scoring encounter was decided only in the closing stages of the final end. With Italy leading 4–3, they held the last stone and delivered the decisive shot that sealed victory, earning their country another point in the contest and, above all, the 11th medal (two golds, two silvers and seven bronzes) at Milano Cortina 2026. (agc)
Historic gold for Italy’s mixed relay: 10th medal for the Italia Team at Milano Cortina
- SHORT TRACK
The 10th medal for the Italia Team at Milano Cortina 2026 coincided with a historic gold for Italy’s mixed short track relay, as the Azzurri returned to the Olympic podium and improved upon the silver secured four years ago at Beijing 2022.
The Italian quartet – Elisa Confortola, Arianna Fontana, Thomas Nadalini and Pietro Sighel – dominated the 2,000m final at the Ice Skating Arena. Also receiving medals were Chiara Betti and Luca Spechenhauser, who took to the Milan ice respectively in the first semi-final and in the opening quarter-final heat, where Italy finished second behind the Netherlands. In the penultimate act, the Italian team (photo Claudio Scaccini/CONI) crossed the line ahead of China, the Netherlands and France to book their place in the A final reserved for the top four nations.
In the decisive race, Italy moved into the lead on lap five, consolidating their advantage over Canada (silver) and Belgium (bronze). It marks Italy’s fourth Olympic gold in short track history.
It was a team triumph made even more special by Arianna Fontana, Italy’s most decorated athlete in Winter Olympic history. Twenty years after her relay bronze at Torino 2006, she claimed her 12th career medal (three golds, four silvers and five bronzes), just one shy of fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti, who holds the record as Italy’s most medalled Olympian of all time (six golds, five silvers and two bronzes), including Summer Games appearances.
It was Fontana and Elisa Confortola – then just 17 and fresh from success at the EYOF 2018 – who spoke in Lausanne in June 2019 during the 134th IOC Session that awarded Italy the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. A home celebration rooted in a journey that began long ago. (agc)
Short track: gli azzurri si laureano campioni olimpici nella staffetta mista di Milano
Lollobrigida sets Olympic record to win 3,000 metres – Buonfiglio’s first gold
- SPEED SKATING
The Italia Team completed a medal treble at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. After the morning’s double podium by Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris in the men’s alpine downhill at Bormio, gold—along with an Olympic record—arrived on the ice of the Milano Ice Park thanks to a sensational Francesca Lollobrigida over 3,000 metres in speed skating. It is Italy’s first gold of these Games and the nation’s first women’s Olympic triumph since the successes of Enrico Fabris (1,500 m) and the men’s team pursuit at the last home Olympics, Turin 2006.
The veteran from the Castelli Romani (photo Ferdinando Mezzelani/CONI), competing on her 35th birthday and under the watchful eye of Luciano Buonfiglio—who witnessed his first Olympic gold as CONI President—produced a magnificent performance on Milan’s long track. Skating in the third-last pairing alongside Canada’s Valérie Maltais, the Italian champion stopped the clock at 3:54.28, smashing the previous Olympic record. Norway’s Ragne Wiklund (+2.26) and Maltais (+2.65) were left with silver and bronze respectively.
“This is the Olympics of first times; it’s hugely emotional and it makes me want to cry. I don’t know if we fully realise what’s happening. FISI and FISG are two federations with two presidents, technical, logistical, medical and Olympic-preparation staffs who have left nothing to chance and deserve this success and the applause of Italy and the entire Italian sporting world. The protocol of the Institute of Sports Medicine and Science on athletes in maternity is an invitation to all athletes to have many children, and an invitation to the Italian Government to provide the right support so our girls can continue their careers and be protagonists of success,” Buonfiglio said.
For the 1991-born skater from Frascati, this is her third career medal at the Winter Games, following the two won four years ago at Beijing 2022 (silver in the 3,000 m and bronze in the mass start). It is her first Olympic podium as a mother-athlete, nearly three years after the birth of her son Tommaso—joy she shared with fellow athletes while playing a leading role as ambassador for the ‘Athletes in Maternity’ project promoted by CONI and the National Athletes’ Commission. (agc)
Italy roars in Olympic downhill at Bormio: Franzoni takes silver, Paris claims bronze
- ALPINE SKIING
Italy seized centre stage in the men’s downhill at Bormio. In the race that opened the alpine skiing programme at Milano Cortina 2026, Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris secured silver and bronze respectively, delivering the first two medals of this Winter Olympic Games for the Italia Team. Also present at the Stelvio Ski Centre was Luciano Buonfiglio, who watched live as Italy collected its first Olympic medals since his election as President of CONI.
“It’s a tremendous emotion to begin with two medals and to embrace Giovanni and Dominik. This is the reward for their hard work. The tension was such that I couldn’t even watch the race: I only lifted my head after the finish, when I heard the roar. My congratulations go to FISI President Flavio Roda,” Buonfiglio said.
For the debutant from Manerba del Garda—who triumphed in late January on the Streif in the iconic Kitzbühel downhill—and for the 36-year-old South Tyrolean, who on the legendary Stelvio has already written memorable chapters with seven World Cup victories (six in downhill and one in super-G), this was their first career podium at an Olympic Games. But the entire national team celebrated, returning to the top three in the discipline (photo Luca Pagliaricci/CONI) at an Olympics for the first time in 12 years, since Christof Innerhofer’s silver at Sochi 2014. Thanks to these two podiums, Italy—counting also Summer Games—has broken the 800-medal barrier (the total stood at 799 before today’s race).
The winner in the Valtellina resort was Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen, who took gold in 1:51.61. The two Italians finished +0.20 and +0.50 back respectively, with Paris pushing another Swiss star, Marco Odermatt, off the podium; he had to settle for fourth at +0.70. Also notable for Italy were Mattia Casse in 11th (+1.67) and Florian Schieder in 17th (+1.96). (agc)
CONI and AIRWEAVE together for the well-being of athletes
CONI announces that it has reached an agreement with Airweave for the supply of originally designed branded duvets to be distributed to athletes participating in the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games and Japanese Futon toppers to be installed in the guest quarters of the Olympic Training Centres in Formia, Roma and Tirrenia.
The company supplied the beds and linen for the Olympic Villages of Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, going beyond traditional mattress design and focusing on sleep as a performance tool for athletes.
Thanks to Airweave's revolutionary Airfiber® technology, designed to ensure optimal support, breathability and ease of cleaning, it is possible to improve the quality of athletes' sleep through scientifically proven solutions.
Airfiber®, a highly breathable and quick-rebound material made from recyclable polyethylene, is designed to support natural movements during the night and spinal alignment for deeper, more restorative sleep, with measurable performance benefits over traditional mattresses.
With this in mind, the use of Airweave products is an additional tool for increasing the daily mental and physical well-being of Olympic and High-Level athletes who train at our Olympic Training Centres. (agc)
Team event: Italy hold firm in the free skates to secure Olympic bronze
- FIGURE SKATING
A bronze medal in the figure skating team event that feels like a triumph. Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ice dance), Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii (pairs), Lara Naki Gutmann (women’s singles), and Daniel Grassl and Matteo Rizzo (men’s singles short and free programmes respectively) delivered Italy’s first Olympic medal in the team competition in Milan. It is the nation’s third figure skating podium at the Games, following the bronzes won by Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio in ice dance at Salt Lake City 2002 and by Carolina Kostner in women’s singles at Sochi 2014.
At the Ice Skating Arena, Italy finished third overall with 60 points, behind only the United States (69, gold) and Japan (68, silver). A flawless performance by Matteo Rizzo in the final segment — the men’s free skate — sealed Italy’s ninth medal of Milano Cortina 2026 (one gold, two silvers and six bronzes). The final had begun on Saturday evening, 7 February, with nine points earned by Guignard and Fabbri in the free dance.
Italy entered the pairs free skate in provisional third place, a position successfully defended by Conti and Macii with eight points, before Lara Naki Gutmann again impressed in the women’s free skate (seven points). In the closing segment it was Matteo Rizzo (photo Claudio Scaccini/CONI) who took over from Daniel Grassl, skating a superb free programme that earned a further eight points and allowed Italy to repel late challenges from Georgia (fourth with 56 points) and Canada (fifth with 54). (agc)
A first Winter Games record: never before had Italy won more than three medals in a single day
- MILANO CORTINA 2026
A record-breaking day. Milano Cortina 2026 has written a new chapter in Italy’s Winter Olympic history. Never before had the Azzurri won more than three medals in a single day of competition.
The mark was surpassed thanks to the silver in the biathlon mixed relay, claimed by Tommaso Giacomel, Lukas Hofer, Dorothea Wierer and Lisa Vittozzi, and the bronzes won by Sofia Goggia in the alpine skiing downhill, Lucia Dalmasso in the snowboard parallel giant slalom and Riccardo Lorello in the 5,000 metres of speed skating.
Previously, Italy had reached three podium finishes in one day on three occasions: Albertville 1992, Lillehammer 1994 and Salt Lake City 2002. In 1992, the medals came from golds by Alberto Tomba in the alpine skiing giant slalom and Deborah Compagnoni in the Super-G, plus silver for the 4x10 km cross-country relay.
In 1994, all three medals were in cross-country skiing: silver for Manuela Di Centa in the 10 km pursuit freestyle, and bronzes for Stefania Belmondo in the same event and Marco Albarello in the 10 km classic.
At Salt Lake City 2002, the trio of medals was delivered by Daniela Ceccarelli’s gold in the Super-G, Karen Putzer’s bronze in the same race, and the men’s 4x10 km cross-country relay.
Milano Cortina 2026 is already part of Italy’s Olympic legend.
Riccardo Lorello wins bronze in the 5,000 metres: Italy’s second medal on Milan ice
- SPEED SKATING
Italy’s speed skating team made it two medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. After Francesca Lollobrigida’s historic gold in the 3,000 metres, bronze arrived in the 5,000 metres thanks to Riccardo Lorello at the Milano Ice Park in Rho. Making his Olympic debut, the 23-year-old matched the result achieved by Enrico Fabris at Turin 2006 and became the youngest Italian ever to stand on an Olympic podium in a long-track individual event.
Skating in the third pairing alongside Norway’s Peder Kongshaug, the reigning European silver medallist clocked 6:09.22, finishing 5.27 seconds behind the winner, Norway’s Sander Eitrem, who claimed gold with an Olympic record of 6:03.95. Silver went to Czech skater Metodej Jilek (+2.53). Italy also recorded a bittersweet fourth place for Davide Ghiotto (+5.62), while Michele Malfatti (+14.00), the third Italian starter, finished 12th, just outside the top ten.
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