Italy is having its best Winter Olympics of all time at a pace that crushes its 1994 medal count

Italy Shatters Olympic Records with Historic Medal Haul at Milan Cortina

Italy has officially achieved its best Winter Olympics performance in history, securing 22 medals with a week of competition still remaining at the Milan Cortina Games.

The host nation surpassed its previous record of 20 medals set at the 1994 Lillehammer Games during a remarkable Sunday that saw Italian athletes claim four medals in rapid succession – two golds, a silver, and a bronze.

The medal rush began with Italy’s cross-country team securing bronze in the men’s 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay. What followed was an extraordinary flurry of three medals within a single hour. Federica Brignone captured her second gold medal of the games with a victory in the giant slalom, just weeks after returning from a severe injury that required extensive rehabilitation.

Half an hour later, Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva earned silver in the mixed team snowboard cross, pushing Italy past its previous record. Lisa Vittozzi then added to the celebration by winning gold in the 10-kilometer pursuit biathlon race.

“We are witnessing something historic, for our talented and extraordinary athletes,” said local organizing committee president Giovanni Malagò. “But this success makes us so happy also because we are reaping the fruits of years and years of hard work.”

Italy’s current medal count of eight gold, four silver, and ten bronze has already exceeded the pre-Games target of 19 medals set by Italian Olympic Committee president Luciano Buonfiglio. The performance marks a substantial improvement over Italy’s 17 medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and its 11 medals when the country last hosted the Games in Turin in 2006.

Throughout the Milan Cortina Games, Italy has consistently remained among the top two nations in the medal standings, trailing only Norway, which had accumulated 24 medals by early Sunday. This represents a significant improvement from Lillehammer, where Italy finished fourth behind Russia, Norway, and Germany.

Signs of a potential record-breaking performance emerged early in the Games when Italy collected six medals on Day 3 – the most the nation had ever won in a single day at a Winter Olympics.

Malagò emphasized the significance of Italy’s multidisciplinary success: “What’s also incredible is the multidisciplinary nature of the medals. We have become a country that is capable of being competitive in sports where we have never been. That is fundamental in the Olympic program and in the final medal table.”

The personal stories behind several of Italy’s medals have resonated deeply with the nation. Brignone, 35, overcame a year spent largely in rehabilitation after breaking multiple bones in her leg to secure two gold medals. Meanwhile, short track speedskater Arianna Fontana won her 12th and 13th Olympic medals, equaling fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti’s 64-year-old record for the most Olympic medals by an Italian athlete.

“We’re getting to see the Italian team do incredibly well,” said International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry. “Their stories of resilience and fight and everything good in humanity was really showcased.”

Coventry specifically praised Fontana’s achievement: “Arianna is now the most decorated Italian athlete, summer or winter Olympian. And to do that at home, it’s so cool. I’m so excited for her. You could feel in the stadium last night, just the passion and the love and the respect.”

With seven days of competition still remaining, Italy has an opportunity to further extend its record medal count and cement this performance as the definitive high point in the country’s Winter Olympic history.