Milan, February 8, 2026 – Italy is celebrating its first gold medal of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, thanks to a record-breaking performance by Francesca Lollobrigida in women’s 3,000m speed skating.
Lollobrigida Shatters Olympic Record on 35th Birthday
The Italian speed skater clinched gold with a time of 3 minutes 54.28 seconds, marking a personal and national triumph.
- Francesca Lollobrigida secured Italy’s first gold medal at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
- Her winning time of 3 minutes 54.28 seconds set a new Olympic record.
- The victory occurred on Lollobrigida’s 35th birthday, adding a special layer of significance to her achievement.
- This is Lollobrigida’s third Olympic medal, following a silver in 2022 and a bronze also in 2022.
Lollobrigida’s stunning time of 3 minutes 54.28 seconds, achieved at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, not only secured her the gold but also established a new Olympic record in the women’s 3,000m event. What is Francesca Lollobrigida’s winning time in the women’s 3,000m speed skating event? Her remarkable time is 3 minutes 54.28 seconds, a new Olympic record.
Norway’s Langne Wieklund claimed the silver medal with a time of 3 minutes 56.54 seconds, earning her first Olympic medal, while Valery Maltey of Canada secured the bronze in 3 minutes 56.93 seconds.
This victory is particularly sweet for Lollobrigida, who previously won a silver medal in the women’s 3,000m at the 2022 Beijing Games. Competing on home ice, she finally realized her dream of capturing Olympic gold.
Adding to the momentous occasion, Lollobrigida celebrated her 35th birthday – February 7, 1991 – with this ‘golden run’ in front of a home crowd. The athlete, competing in her fourth Olympic Games since her debut at the 2014 Sochi Games (followed by appearances in Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022), comes from a family with a strong connection to the spotlight.
Her great-aunt is the renowned Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, a star of Italian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s.
Lollobrigida, who also earned a bronze medal in the mass start at the 2022 Beijing Games, now boasts a collection of three Olympic medals: one gold, one silver, and one bronze. Starting in the eighth group, she set a pace that none of the following four competitors could match, solidifying her victory.
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