The 2022 Olympics played in Beijing have closed. During the closing event, the president of the IOC Thomas Bach received the Olympic flag from the mayor of Beijing and handed it to the mayors of Milan-Cortina 2026, Giuseppe Sala and Gianpietro Ghedina. Then, singer Malika Ayane sang the national anthem. In short, a great event to which work has already begun is the one that will take place in Italy.
Olympics, the blue medal table
Italy greets the Olympics with 17 medals. This is a great achievement, considering that in history this has been the second most winning shipment for Italy, which managed to win various medals in 8 different disciplines. Italy had done better than this year only in Lillehammer in 1994, when as many as 20 medals were won, including 7 golds, 5 silvers and 8 bronzes. This time in Beijing perhaps Italy could have done something more on gold (only 2 won), but in terms of the number of medals it was absolutely above the usual trend.
A clear improvement compared to Pyeongchang 2018 when the blues closed the event with "only" 10 medals: 3 golds, 2 silvers and 5 bronzes.
Beijing 2022, the Italian medals
As mentioned, the Italian medal table speaks of 2 golds, 7 silvers and 8 bronzes. This year the golds came from Ariadne Fontana (who has won 11 medals throughout his career, becoming the athlete with the most medals) and since mixed curling, in triumph at the Olympic debut, with the Constantini-Mosaner couple. The Fountain then finished second in the 1.500 meters behind the Korean Minjeong Choi. Furthermore, in the short track the Fontana together with Valcepina, Sighel and Cassinelli climbed to the second step of the podium: another silver for Italy.
One of the first Italian joys came on February 5th when Francesca Lollobrigida conquered the Silver in the 3000 meters speed skating. Then the 28 year old Dominik Fischnaller thought about making the Azzurri cheer. The South Tyrolean carabiniere won the bronze medal in the men's singles. The carabiniere had come close to the feat in the last Olympics and this time he caught it.
Great exultation also for Federica Brignone who won the silver, improving one position compared to the last Olympics. Third four years ago in South Korea, this time the Aosta Valley finished the race in second place, behind the Swedish Sara Hector. She thrilled everyone Sofia Goggia.
The skier, after only 23 days from the injury she suffered in Cortina, complete with a sprained knee and partial cruciate ligament injury, managed to recover in record time. Not only that: with enormous determination and fighting spirit, Goggia has won a medal which, given the previous situation, is truly incredible: she won silver a few days after her injury. Delago followed her by finishing third and winning a well-deserved bronze.
According to Federico Pilgrim who won the silver in the free technical sprint of cross-country skiing. While Visintin won bronze in cross. The 32 year old athlete from Merano reached third place behind the Austrian Alessandro Haemmerle, who won gold, and Canadian Eliot Gondin, silver winner. Dorotea Wierer instead won the bronze medal in the 7,5 km biathlon sprint. She was the first athlete to win a medal in the individual specialty. Bronze also for Davide Ghiotto in 10 thousand speed skating. Ghiotto also recorded the Italian record. The Visintin-Moioli couple, on the other hand, won silver in snowboarding. Bronze was the medal for the blue relay of 5 thousand meters with the quartet Dotti, Cassinelli, Sighel, Confortola. Finally, Francesca lollobrigida, with bronze in the mass start race of speed skating.
Photo source: Coni facebook page
