Host nation Italy opened the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with an encouraging medal haul on Saturday, claiming gold, silver and bronze on the first day of competition, while Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen won the first gold of the Games.
Italy’s highlight came in speedskating, where Francesca Lollobrigida marked her 35th birthday by winning gold in the women’s 3,000 metres, delivering the host nation’s first title of the Olympics and its first-ever women’s speedskating gold at a Winter Games.
Competing in her fourth Olympics, Lollobrigida edged Norway’s Ragne Wiklund to claim her maiden Olympic gold, having won silver and bronze at the Beijing Games four years ago. Her great-aunt was film star Gina Lollobrigida.
Italy also reached the podium in alpine skiing, with Giovanni Franzoni and veteran Dominik Paris taking silver and bronze respectively in the men’s downhill at Bormio, the first medal event of the Games.
Gold, however, went to Switzerland’s von Allmen, who clocked 1 minute 51.61 seconds on his Olympic debut. The 24-year-old led from the outset and held off all challengers.
“I tried to enjoy the moment, but I didn't quite realize what was going on today,” von Allmen said after his run.
Paris, competing in his fifth Olympics, said the bronze held special meaning. “It's my fifth Olympics, and getting the first medal in front of the home crowd, that's really special,” he said.
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In Cortina, American ski great Lindsey Vonn completed another downhill training run ahead of Sunday’s women’s race, finishing third despite recently tearing her left anterior cruciate ligament. The 41-year-old told The Associated Press “all good” and skied with a brace on her left knee.
Japan made a strong start in figure skating, with Yuma Kagiyama landing near-flawless quadruple jumps to score 108.67 points in the men’s short programme of the team event. Two-time world champion Ilia Malinin finished second with 98.00.
A strong free skate by Madison Chock and Evan Bates later lifted the United States to 44 points overall, five ahead of Japan going into Sunday’s decisive events.
In cross-country skiing, American star Jessie Diggins finished eighth in the women’s 20km skiathlon in Tesero, more than two minutes behind Sweden’s Frida Karlsson.
“I had a crash on the first lap, where my tip just disappeared in the slush, and unfortunately it was a tough spot where you lose all your momentum,” Diggins said.
Norway secured its first gold of the Games through Anna Odine Stroem in the women’s ski jumping normal hill, upsetting season-long favourite Nika Prevc of Slovenia. Japan’s Nozomi Maruyama took bronze.
Japan also struck gold in men’s snowboarding big air, with Kira Kimura winning the title ahead of compatriot Ryoma Kimata, while defending champion Su Yiming of China claimed bronze.
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