Francesca Lollobrigida triumphs again in the 5,000 metres: historic Olympic golden double in Milano Cortina
- SPEED SKATING
Francesca Lollobrigida completed a golden double at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games and flew ever deeper into history. Just five days after her magical success in the 3,000 metres, sealed with an Olympic record, the speed skater from Frascati left all her rivals behind once again in the longer 5,000-metre event, a distance in which she holds the world title thanks to her victory at last March’s World Championships in Hamar, Norway. With powerful, flowing strides, the newly-turned 35-year-old from Lazio skated towards legend, becoming the first Italian in the discipline — female or male — ever to win two individual Olympic events. For the Italia Team it was the 15th medal of these Winter Games, the sixth gold (one short of Italy’s Winter Olympic record set at Lillehammer 1994).
Drawn in the sixth and final pairing alongside two-time Olympic champion Martina Sáblíková of the Czech Republic, the Italian veteran once again dominated the field on the ice of the Milano Ice Park. Attacking from the very first lap, Lollobrigida (photo Ferdinando Mezzelani/CONI) delivered a stirring performance and, despite the inevitable physical fatigue in the closing bends, showed the resilience of a champion to clock the fastest time, crossing the line first with a new personal best of 6:46.17.
None of her rivals could respond, with Dutch skater Merel Conijn taking silver at +0.10, Norway’s Ragne Wiklund claiming bronze at +0.17 and Belgium’s Sandrine Tas finishing fourth at +0.30, all separated by mere hundredths of a second from the Italian’s winning time. The victory added a fourth Olympic podium to her already glittering career, following her silver and bronze medals in the 3,000 metres and the mass start at Beijing 2022. (agc)
Fontana wins 500m silver for 13th Olympic medal: Mangiarotti’s record equalled
- SHORT TRACK
Arianna Fontana skated swiftly into legend. On the opening evening of individual short track finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, two days after leading Italy’s mixed relay to gold, the 35-year-old from Valtellina secured silver in the women’s 500 metres, a distance in which she now boasts five consecutive Olympic podiums following bronze at Vancouver 2010, silver at Sochi 2014 and golds at PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022.
For the Italian champion, however, this was above all her 13th career Olympic medal (seventh individual), the one that allowed her to take another step into Italian sporting history by equalling the record of fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti, until tonight the sole holder of the title of Italy’s most decorated athlete of all time (six golds, five silvers and two bronzes), including Summer Games. The Italia Team also celebrated its 17th medal of these Games (six golds, three silvers and eight bronzes), matching the tally achieved four years ago at Beijing 2022, Italy’s second most prolific Winter Olympic campaign.
Fontana (photo Claudio Scaccini/CONI), runner-up in her fourth heat, pushed hard from the start in both the first quarter-final and the first semi-final, finishing behind Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer on both occasions, the latter first setting an Olympic record (41.583) and then a world record (41.399). The script remained unchanged in the A final, with the Italian veteran (42.294) initially glued to the line of Velzeboer (gold in 41.609), before skilfully fending off late attacks from Canada’s Courtney Sarault (42.427) and fellow Dutch skater Selma Poutsma (42.491), who had to settle for bronze and fourth place respectively. The top five was completed by another North American, Kim Boutin (fifth in 44.347), while Chiara Betti, the other Italian entered over the distance, was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
All three Italian skaters in the men’s 1,000 metres were also eliminated at the quarter-final stage: Thomas Nadalini, Luca Spechenhauser and Pietro Sighel. Particular regret surrounded the latter, winner of his heat but subsequently disqualified by the race referee for an irregular move against Poland’s Michal Niewinski, who later fell following contact with the skates of the Trentino star. (agc)
Italy make it four at the Cortina Sliding Centre with team relay bronze
- LUGE
Italy secured a podium finish in the team relay. In the mixed team event, which brought the Olympic luge programme at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games to a close, the quartet of Verena Hofer (women’s singles), Emanuel Rieder/Simon Kainzwaldner (men’s doubles), Dominik Fischnaller (men’s singles) and Andrea Voetter/Marion Oberhofer (women’s doubles) claimed a precious bronze medal. For the national team, after three fifth-place finishes, it marked their first ever top-three finish in this relatively new discipline, introduced only at Sochi 2014. It completed an unprecedented campaign for the athletes of technical director Armin Zoeggeler, who managed to win medals in four of the five events on the programme: Fischnaller’s bronze in the men’s singles and the two legendary golds within sixty-three minutes by Voetter/Oberhofer in the women’s doubles and Rieder/Kainzwaldner in the men’s doubles.
Celebrating on the Cortina Sliding Centre track were Germany’s champions Julia Taubitz, Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt, Max Langenhan and Dajana Eitberger/Magdalena Matschina, who secured gold in a combined time of 3:41.672. Second place went to Austria’s Lisa Schulte, Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl, Jonas Mueller and Selina Egle/Lara Michaela Kipp (silver at +0.542). The Italian team (photo Simone Ferraro/CONI), leading at halfway but hampered by minor imperfections in the legs of Fischnaller and Voetter/Oberhofer, had to settle for third, finishing +0.849 behind the Germans. With just over ten days of competition remaining, the Italia Team, with 16 medals (six golds, two silvers and eight bronzes), moved to within one of the 17 won at Beijing 2022, Italy’s second most prolific Winter Olympic campaign ever. in the team relay. In the mixed team event, which brought the Olympic luge programme at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games to a close, the quartet of Verena Hofer (women’s singles), Emanuel Rieder/Simon Kainzwaldner (men’s doubles), Dominik Fischnaller (men’s singles) and Andrea Voetter/Marion Oberhofer (women’s doubles) claimed a precious bronze medal. For the national team, after three fifth-place finishes, it marked their first ever top-three finish in this relatively new discipline, introduced only at Sochi 2014. It completed an unprecedented campaign for the athletes of technical director Armin Zoeggeler, who managed to win medals in four of the five events on the programme: Fischnaller’s bronze in the men’s singles and the two legendary golds within sixty-three minutes by Voetter/Oberhofer in the women’s doubles and Rieder/Kainzwaldner in the men’s doubles.
Celebrating on the Cortina Sliding Centre track were Germany’s champions Julia Taubitz, Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt, Max Langenhan and Dajana Eitberger/Magdalena Matschina, who secured gold in a combined time of 3:41.672. Second place went to Austria’s Lisa Schulte, Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl, Jonas Mueller and Selina Egle/Lara Michaela Kipp (silver at +0.542). The Italian team (photo Simone Ferraro/CONI), leading at halfway but hampered by minor imperfections in the legs of Fischnaller and Voetter/Oberhofer, had to settle for third, finishing +0.849 behind the Germans. With just over ten days of competition remaining, the Italia Team, with 16 medals (six golds, two silvers and eight bronzes), moved to within one of the 17 won at Beijing 2022, Italy’s second most prolific Winter Olympic campaign ever. (agc)
President Mattarella visits the Olympic Village and Casa Italia in Cortina: “Fortunate to be here”
- OLYMPIC GAMES
Cortina shone in blue and gold as President Sergio Mattarella arrived in the town. The Head of State, who arrived yesterday in the Ampezzo resort in coincidence with the triumphs of lugers Marion Oberhofer and Andrea Voetter in the women’s doubles and Simon Kainzwaldner and Emanuel Rieder in the men’s doubles, watched this morning as Federica Brignone claimed victory in the women’s super-G, personally congratulating the Italian champion at the end of the race while the Frecce Tricolori of the National Aerobatic Team flew over the Olympia delle Tofane. In the early afternoon President Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter, Signora Laura, visited the Cortina Olympic Village, where he was welcomed, among others, by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, Secretary General and Chef de Mission Carlo Mornati, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation Giovanni Malagò, President of the Veneto Region Alberto Stefani, Mayor of Cortina Gianluca Lorenzi and President of the Province of Belluno Roberto Padrin. After greeting members of the Italia Team present, the Head of State first signed the Olympic Truce Wall before sharing a convivial lunch moment with the athletes, sitting alongside curling champions Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, fresh from winning bronze in the mixed doubles tournament.
The President of the Republic then travelled to Casa Italia, where he was welcomed by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, Secretary General and Chef de Mission Carlo Mornati and Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi. Also present were Deputy Chef de Mission Alessio Palombi, the two curling champions Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, and the two Italian lugers Leon Felderer and Alex Gufler. Mattarella — who visited the art collection of Galleria Farsetti inside the venue — was thanked by Buonfiglio for his presence and closeness to the athletes: “Casa Italia is the home of Italians and you have given us this gift by spending two days with us. I wish you would stay every day given the three gold medals in two days. We are making Italians proud of these performances. We owe you so much in terms of affection, expertise and presence. Thank you from the heart, please always remain close to us because we need it,” said Buonfiglio, addressing the Head of State, who then spoke alongside Constantini and Mosaner after congratulating them for “the hard-earned bronze that adds to the gold of four years ago”.
“I thank President Buonfiglio; for me it is an opportunity that returns. Casa Italia in Cortina is the twin of that in Milan and equally serves as a gateway to discovering our country. Congratulations to all the athletes who are giving life not only to an Italian presence at the Games, but to a sign of friendship with all the other athletes from every other nation. That is the meaning of the Olympic Games and of Casa Italia, which opens its doors to all those who come to share the beauty of these places but also the values of human fraternity and shared perspectives among all peoples through sport. Thank you for this opportunity and best wishes, but above all appreciation for what has been achieved, as we await the coming days,” declared the President of the Republic, who also reflected on the happy coincidence that saw the Italia Team win three golds in Cortina during his two days of visit: “The medals belong to the athletes; I have been fortunate to be here. The important thing is to continue competing with the same spirit and commitment, striving with fairness and success,” concluded Mattarella, who posed in front of the Olympic Rings before leaving Casa Italia. (agc)
Federica Brignone’s masterpiece on the Olympia delle Tofane: historic super-G gold with President Mattarella watching
- ALPINE SKIING
A legendary triumph. A masterpiece signed by Federica Brignone on the Olympia delle Tofane in front of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. Three hundred and fifteen days after the very serious injury (compound fracture of the tibial plateau and fibular head in her left leg) sustained during the giant slalom at the Italian Championships in Val di Fassa, the Italian star claimed the gold medal in the women’s super-G, the final speed event of these Olympic Games, and secured the 14th podium for the Italia Team at this home edition. A performance to frame under the gaze of the Head of State, who followed the race alongside his daughter, Signora Laura, the President of CONI, Luciano Buonfiglio, the President of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, the President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, Giovanni Malagò, and CONI Secretary General and Italy’s Chef de Mission Carlo Mornati.
Starting from gate six, Brignone (photo Simone Ferraro/CONI) finished +0.41 ahead of France’s Romane Miradoli (silver) and +0.52 clear of Austria’s Cornelia Huetter (bronze). The other Italians also placed in the top 10, with Laura Pirovano fifth alongside Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie at +0.76 from the lead, and Elena Curtoni seventh at +0.77 on her debut at these Games. After a few technical inaccuracies, while firmly in contention for a podium place, Sofia Goggia (DNF), fresh from last Sunday’s downhill bronze, went out following a gate jump.
In Cortina, Brignone kept her appointment with history: it is her first Olympic medal in the super-G after those won in the giant slalom (bronze at PyeongChang 2018 and silver at Beijing 2022) and in the alpine combined (bronze, also at Beijing 2022), as well as the third Olympic gold in this discipline for Italian alpine skiing following those of Daniela Ceccarelli (Salt Lake City 2002) and Deborah Compagnoni (Albertville 1992). With 11 days of competition remaining, the Italia Team, with five golds, two silvers and seven bronzes, has equalled the 14-medal tally achieved at Albertville 1992, the third most prolific Winter Olympic campaign ever for Italy. The alpine skiing schedule now gives way to the technical events: the two giant slaloms and the two slaloms, with their runs scheduled between 14 and 18 February.
President Mattarella receives Olympic champions Voetter and Oberhofer: “Brilliant, a magnificent gold”
- LUGE
President Sergio Mattarella received Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer, the newly crowned Olympic champions in the women’s doubles. A guest of the Officers’ Club of the Italian Navy in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Head of State congratulated the two Italians, who triumphed in a discipline making its historic Olympic debut: “Brilliant, you were magnificent. It was a fine competition,” said President Mattarella.
Also present at the meeting (photo Quirinale) were technical director Armin Zoeggeler and CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, who later witnessed live the feat of the two Italians, followed by the triumph of Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner in the men’s competition.
“We are still emotional. We knew the German and Austrian pairs were very strong and that motivated us to do even better,” said Voetter and Oberhofer, who then posed for a photograph with the Head of State. The two Olympians will also compete tomorrow in the team relay, the event that will bring the luge programme at Milano Cortina 2026 to a close. (agc)
Gold for Rieder and Kainzwaldner in the men’s doubles: Italy triumphant again after 32 years
- LUGE
Sixty minutes that have already entered the annals of Italian luge history. An hour after the magical triumph of Voetter and Oberhofer in the women’s event, the winding ribbon of the Cortina Sliding Centre provided the stage for another epic gold medal in the men’s doubles, won by Emanuel Rieder and Simon Kainzwaldner.
It marked Italy’s third podium in four luge events at these Games, including Fischnaller’s bronze in the singles three days earlier. A legendary success for the experienced Italian crew who, buoyed by the support of CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, restored an Italian pair to Olympic glory in the men’s doubles 32 years after Kurt Brugger and Wilfried Huber triumphed at Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics. Before them, only Paul Hildgartner and Walter Plaikner had achieved the feat, at Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympics.
Rieder and Kainzwaldner (photo ANSA) hinted at their affinity with the Cortina track in the opening run, finishing provisionally third, just 17 thousandths behind leaders Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa of the United States. Their true masterpiece, however, came in the second and decisive run, where they set the fastest time to secure victory overall in 1:45.086.
Silver and bronze went respectively to Austria’s Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl (+0.068) and Germany’s Olympic champions Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (+0.090), who climbed two places from fifth after the first run. Italy also recorded a seventh-place finish for Ivan Nagler and Fabian Malleier (+0.218), penalised by minor errors in both runs. Just ahead of them were Mueller and Haugsjaa (sixth, +0.207), who slipped five places after leading at halfway. (agc)
Voetter and Oberhofer triumph in the first historic women’s doubles: third gold for the Italia Team
- LUGE
Italy’s luge team can once again celebrate an Olympic podium at the Cortina Sliding Centre. On the track named in memory of Olympic champion Eugenio Monti (gold medallist in both the two-man and four-man bobsleigh at Grenoble 1968), three days after Dominik Fischnaller claimed bronze in the men’s singles, the pairing of Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer (under the watchful eye of CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio) achieved a remarkable feat, capturing gold in the women’s doubles — a discipline making its historic debut in the Winter Olympic programme.
It was a moment of apotheosis for the Azzurri, who returned to dominate the Olympic stage 20 years after the ‘Cannibal’ Armin Zoeggeler (now technical director of the Italian team) secured the second of his two Olympic titles at Torino 2006 Winter Olympics. At Milano Cortina 2026, Italy’s gold tally has now risen to three, following victories by speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida in the 3,000 metres and the Italian short track quartet in the 2,000-metre mixed relay.
Voetter and Oberhofer (photo Giuseppe Giugliano/CONI), after encouraging signs across six official training runs, lived up to expectations when it mattered most. The two-time World Cup winners in the discipline (2023 and 2024) led after the opening run by just 22 thousandths ahead of the formidable German duo Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina. In the final descent, the well-drilled Italian tandem successfully defended their lead, sealing victory with a combined time of 1:46.284. The German pair (+0.120) had to settle for silver, while Austria’s Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp claimed bronze (+0.259). (agc)
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)
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