On her 35th birthday during the opening speed skating event of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Francesca Lollobrigida of Italy set a new Olympic record in the 3000m race, capturing the gold medal.
According to ISU Skating, Lollobrigida skated a time of 3 minutes and 54.28 seconds, surpassing her competitors on home ice. Ragne Wiklund from Norway earned silver with a time of 3:56.54, while Valérie Maltais of Canada secured the bronze, marking their first individual Olympic medals.
Lollobrigida had faced challenges leading up to the event, having struggled with illness during the season and balancing her return to competition after the birth of her son in 2022. She described the season as difficult but credited the support from her family, coach, and federation for helping her persist. Her victory was not only a personal achievement but also a demonstration that motherhood and elite athletic performance are compatible.
Before the Olympics, Lollobrigida regained confidence with strong performances in training and was motivated by the opportunity to inspire others. During the race, she maintained a fast and steady pace, leveraging skills she developed in inline skating to finish strongly. Maltais, a former short track skater who has also won Olympic medals in other events, praised the atmosphere and the competition between them. Wiklund, the silver medalist, acknowledged the challenge of matching Lollobrigida’s pace but was satisfied with her performance and the medal she earned.
The event highlighted the competitive spirit and camaraderie among the medalists and reflected the energy of the home crowd at Milano Cortina. Lollobrigida’s accomplishment serves as a notable moment in the 2026 Winter Games.
