Italy's first medals on the first official day of the Milan-Cortina Games.

Gold and records in skating

Francesca Lollobrigida delivered a sensational first gold medal : the Italian speed skater won the 3000-meter title in 3:54.28, an Olympic record , ahead of Norway's Ragne Wiklund, who took silver in 3:56.54, and Canada's Valerie Maltais, who took bronze in 3:56.93. The Olympic champion, wrapped in the Italian flag, burst into tears, holding her son Tommaso, born in May 2023, in her arms.

Downhill skiing in Bormio

In the downhill in Bormio , the Italians scored a double, with Giovanni Franzoni taking silver and Dominik Paris taking bronze. Swiss Franjo von Allmen took victory, while one of the pre-race favorites, Swiss champion Marc Odermatt, missed out on the podium. "This medal takes the pressure off me," commented Franzoni: "Winning a medal on home soil is magnificent. I dedicate it to my family, my team, my fans. You never win alone. I dreamed of a medal here, and it came immediately ." An Olympic bronze that "closes the circle" for Dominik Paris . "I managed to achieve everything," added 'Domme' at the press conference, "the only thing missing was the Olympic medal. It means so much to me and my fans. They told me I deserved it, and in the end, it came ."

The Six Nations

The Italian national rugby team made their debut in the 2026 Six Nations tournament with a victory. Gonzalo Quesada's Azzurri beat Scotland 18-15 (15-7) at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, scoring two tries, with Lynagh and Menoncello in the first half, against one for the Scots.

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(Unioneonline)

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