Italy’s first gold medal of its home Winter Olympics came Saturday in dramatic fashion.
Speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida captured first place in the 3000-meter race, besting Ragne Wiklund of Norway by over two seconds. Valérie Maltais of Canada captured the bronze medal for her nation’s first medal of 2026, while the top American finisher—Greta Myers of Lino Lakes, Minn.—finished in 20th place.
Lollobrigida’s victory came in front of an adoring home crowd on her 35th birthday, and was the first-ever gold medal won by a female Italian speed skater. She previously won a silver in the 3000 meters and a bronze in the mass start in Beijing in 2022.
In 2025, she won a gold medal at the World Single Distances Championships, taking home 5000-meter gold in Hamar, Norway. She also owns a bronze world medal in the mass start and eight European medals.
🚨 The first Olympic record of #MilanoCortina2026 has been broken 🙌
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) February 7, 2026
Congratulations to Francesca LOLLOBRIGIDA [ITA] for making incredible history for @ItaliaTeam_it on home ground 🤩 #OMEGA | #OMEGAOfficialTimekeeper pic.twitter.com/lpp0eOrRY1
Lollobrigida is the descendant of a well-known Italian icon—actress Gina Lollobrigida, one of Golden-Age Hollywood’s most celebrated stars who died in 2023 at the age of 95. Additionally, her cousin Francesco Lollobrigida is Italy’s minister of agriculture.
Upcoming events for the native of Frascati (near Rome) include the 1500 meters, 5000 meters and mass start.
More Winter Olympics on Sports Illustrated
- How Scoring Works in Olympic Curling
- For U.S. Speedskater Greta Myers, an Olympic Debut Arrives Ahead of Schedule
- Let the Winter Games Begin
- Switzerland's Franjo Von Allmen Takes First Gold Medal of Winter Olympics in Men’s Downhill
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Francesca Lollobrigida Makes Italian Olympic Speedskating History on Her Birthday.
