DSunday 15 February is the day that officially rewrites the boundaries of Italian sport. Alone 47 minutesamong 2.28pm and 3.15pmItaly experienced the most incredible hour of its Olympic history. Two gold and one silver which, added to the previous feats, bring the Italian medal table to the top 22 medals, pulverizing the historical record of 20 from Lillehammer 1994. Three women and a man, Federica Brignone, Lisa Vittozzi, Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva, in addition to the quartet of the cross-country skiing relay, rightfully enter the Italian legend.
Federica Brignone: “the Tiger” still roars in the Giant
The roar started at 2.28pm with her, “the Tiger of La Salle”. After the masterpiece in Super-G, Federica Brignone he also clawed the gold in the giant with a performance that left the opponents literally breathless, so much so that it deserved the bow of Sara Hector and Thea Louise Stjernesund, who finished joint second.
The opponents bow before Federica Brignone at Milano Cortina 2026. (Photo by Foto Olimpik/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Federica Brignone is the first Italian skier capable of winning two golds in the same editionequaling Alberto Tomba’s record in Calgary ’88. “I swear I’m so speechless that I can’t understand anything,” admitted the Italian immediately after the finish line. Her skiing, aggressive but lucid, took her straight into the myth of world sport.
Lisa Vittozzi and the historic gold that biathlon was missing
While the celebrations for Brignone were still in full swing, another miracle was taking place in Anterselva. At 3.15pm Lisa Vittozzi he crossed the finish line of the chase winning a gold that Italy’s biathlon team had been waiting for for 66 years. No one, between men and women, had ever reached the top step of the Olympic podium in this discipline.
Lisa Vittozzi with the biathlon gold medal around her neck. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Lisa Vittozzi canceled a 40 second gap with a perfect test on the range, where he didn’t make a single mistake. “I’m proud of myself, it’s a dream come true, my heart bursts,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Moioli and Sommariva: the silver that seals the record
In the midst of this whirlwind of emotions, he also arrived the very heavy silver of Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva in mixed snowboard cross. A couple’s dance in the snow of Livigno that has allowed Italy to achieve medal number 21that of the historic overtaking. Michela Moioli, despite the marks on her face from a fall in training, demonstrated uncommon determination, overtaking her French rival in the final metres. For Sommariva it is the first Olympic podium, a deserved recognition for one of the veterans of the group who was able to resist the pressure of the foreign giants.
Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva silver in snowboard cross. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
The bronze of the cross-country relay
Already in the morning he had thought of setting the atmosphere on fire men’s 4×7.5 km relay of cross-country skiing, capable of driving the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium crazy. The blue quartet won a medal of bronze which was missing from Turin 2006, thanks to a match full of heart and strategy. After the excellent fractions of Davide Graz, Elijah Barp And Martino Carolloit fell to the immortal Federico Pellegrino perform the final miracle. 21 seconds down at the last change, the Aosta Valley champion has Finland in his sights, completing a furious comeback that gave Italy the third step of the podium. It was the electric shock needed to kick off the most incredible Sunday ever.
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