Italy is basking in the glow of the glory achieved at Milano Cortina 2026 after the host nation impressed the world by organizing the Olympics in a smooth and innovative way while enjoying its best ever Winter Games in terms of sporting results.

    The Azzurri won 30 medals, 10 more than their previous best showing at a Winter Olympics at Lillehammer in 1994, and the tally included 10 golds.

    "The Olympics gave us unforgettable emotions and a pride that will accompany Italy for a long time to come," Premier Giorgia Meloni, who attended Sunday's closing ceremony at the Verona Arena, said via X.
    "Thanks to our athletes, who with talent, sacrifice, and team spirit made the name of Italy resound around the world with extraordinary results.
    "A heartfelt thank you goes to all the women and men involved in organizing the Games, to the volunteers, and to those in the police forces, emergency medical services, and public services who worked with dedication to ensure safety, efficiency, and to offer the world an image of beauty and competence that has brought honour to the entire Nation.
    "Now our gaze is already turning to the next protagonists: we will stand by our Paralympic athletes, ready to cheer for Italy once again".
    Italy broke new ground by hosting the Olympics in two cities at the same time for the first time, with events spread out over three regions, Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige.
    International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said at the closing ceremony that Milano Cortina 2026 was a "new kind of Winter Games" and had "set a new standard for the future".
    Among the host nation's many stars of the Games was short-track speed skater Arianna Fontana, who won three medals, taking her overall tally up to a record-breaking 14.
    She is now the Italian athlete to have won more Olympic medals than anyone else, having surpassed fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti, who won 13 between 1936 and 1960.
    She is now also joint second in the all-time Winter Olympic medal standings, one behind Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen.
    That tally includes the golds she won in the mixed relay event in Milano Cortina and in the individual 500m at Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022.
    Another star is Federica Brignone, who won the women's giant slalom and SuperG to became the first Italian woman Alpine skier to win two golds at the same Olympics less than a year after suffering a career-threatening leg break in April.
    Speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, aged 35 like Fontana and Brignone, won the golds in the women's 5,000 and 3,000 metres speed skating.
    Another of Italy's many heroes was Lisa Vittozzi, 31, who won Italy's first individual biathlon Olympic gold in the women's 10 km pursuit.
   

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