Lollobrigida Smashes Olympic Record on 35th Birthday to Win Italy's First Gold

Francesca Lollobrigida provided the perfect start to Italy's home Olympics on Saturday, winning the women's 3000m speed skating event in an Olympic record time of 3:54.28 at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The 35-year-old Italian became the first woman from her country to win Olympic gold in speed skating, delivering the performance of her life in front of a roaring home crowd on her birthday.

Lollobrigida shaved over two-and-a-half seconds off the previous Olympic record of 3:56.93, set by Dutch legend Irene Schouten at the Beijing 2022 Games. The veteran skater executed a nearly flawless race, maintaining exceptional pace throughout all seven-and-a-half laps of the oval track. Norway's Ragne Wiklund claimed silver, while Canada's Valérie Maltais took bronze in what proved to be a highly competitive field.

The victory marked a historic moment for Italian winter sports, as Lollobrigida became not only the first Italian woman to claim Olympic speed skating gold but also the oldest speed skater to win the event in Olympic history. Her emotional celebration on the ice, pointing to the Italian flag on her suit and blowing kisses to the crowd, captured the hearts of fans worldwide. The home advantage proved crucial, with thousands of Italian supporters creating an electric atmosphere at the speed skating oval.

This triumph capped a remarkable journey for Lollobrigida, who had previously competed in two Olympics without standing on the podium. Her dedication to the sport and willingness to continue competing into her mid-30s finally paid dividends on the biggest stage. The gold medal also gave Italy the perfect launch to the Milano Cortina Games, with the host nation hoping to build momentum across multiple disciplines.

Italy continued its strong opening day with additional medals in alpine skiing, as Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris claimed silver and bronze respectively in the men's downhill, finishing behind Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen. The three-medal haul on day one exceeded expectations and energized the Italian team for the remainder of the Games.

Lollobrigida's record-breaking performance will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics, a birthday gift not just for herself but for an entire nation celebrating on home ice. Her achievement demonstrates that age is merely a number in elite sport, inspiring athletes around the world to continue pursuing their Olympic dreams regardless of the years on the calendar.