Italian speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida celebrated her 35th birthday by winning the host nation’s first gold medal of these Olympics in the 3000 metres. It’s also Italy’s first gold in women’s speedskating at any Winter Games.
Competing in her fourth Olympics, Lollobrigida outskated Ragne Wiklund of Norway for her first Olympic gold after winning silver and bronze in Beijing four years ago.
Her great aunt was the late Gina Lollobrigida, a star actress of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Italy also had a strong day on the slopes, with Alpine skiers Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris taking silver and bronze respectively in the men’s downhill—the first medal event of the Games.
However, neither could beat Von Allmen’s time of one minute, 51.61 seconds in Bormio.
The 24-year-old Swiss skier was the leader after his downhill run, but the wait for his rivals to finish was nerve-racking.
“I tried to enjoy the moment, but I didn’t quite realise what was going on today,” von Allmen said after his first Olympic race.
Paris, 36, was delighted with his bronze after coming away empty-handed in his four previous Olympics.
“It’s my fifth Olympics, and getting the first medal in front of the home crowd, that’s really special,” he said.
AAP
