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Winter Olympics briefing: Italy's golden moment and Sweden beat Norway
Summary
Francesca Lollobrigida won gold in the women's 3,000m speed skating on her 35th birthday, setting an Olympic record of 54.28 seconds, and Sweden took gold and silver in the women's 10km+10km skiathlon while Italy also took medals in the men's downhill.
Content
Francesca Lollobrigida set an Olympic record in the women's 3,000m speed skating and won gold on her 35th birthday, then celebrated with her two-year-old son. The hosts also enjoyed success in the men's downhill at Bormio, and Sweden opened its cross-country campaign with a strong result in the skiathlon. Organisers addressed health and equipment issues off the piste as the Games continued into their first full day.
Key facts:
- Francesca Lollobrigida won the women's 3,000m in 54.28 seconds, reported as two and a half seconds faster than the previous Olympic mark from 2022; Valerie Maltais of Canada took bronze.
- In the men's downhill, Italian skiers Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris earned medals, and Franjo von Allmen was the highest-placed Swiss after an unexpectedly fast run; Marco Odermatt did not finish on the podium.
- Sweden took gold and silver in the women's 10km+10km skiathlon, with Frida Karlsson winning and Ebba Andersson second, while Norway's Heidi Weng secured a medal as well.
- The IOC said there is "no outbreak" of norovirus after five women's ice hockey players tested positive; Finland had a game postponed, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a ban that prevents Great Britain using certain skeleton helmets.
Summary:
The first full day produced headline performances for the hosts and for Sweden in cross-country skiing, alongside off-field developments noted by the IOC and sports authorities. Undetermined at this time.
