Francesca Lollobrigida made history at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics this week, becoming Italy's most-decorated speed skater with two gold medals in the women's 3,000m and 5,000m events. Her 5,000m victory, secured by a razor-thin 0.1-second margin over the Czech Republic's Martina Sablíková, capped a career resurgence fueled by motherhood and personal perseverance.
"This was for my son," the 35-year-old told reporters after dedicating her win to her two-year-old child. "I wanted to show him how strong his mom can be." Lollobrigida revealed she nearly retired due to health struggles before the Games but credited her support network for reigniting her Olympic ambitions.
Italy's National Olympic Committee President Luciano Buonfiglio praised the team's performance while announcing plans to strengthen sports ties with China. "We aim to finalize an agreement with the Olympic Committee of China in March," he said, highlighting cross-border collaboration as a priority for 2026.
