A record winter edition
A record edition, therefore, the second winter ever for number of medals. On the closing day of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, the president of Coni, Giovanni Malagò and the general secretary and head of mission, Carlo Mornati, at Casa Italia they draw up an assessment of the Italian expedition to China. And the numbers smile to the Azzurri: Beijing 2022 is, in fact, the second edition ever with 17 medals (2 golds, 7 silvers and 8 bronzes), after Lillehammer 1994 (which was an edition held two years after the previous one and not after a four-year period).
Compared to PyeongChang 2018, Italy Team grows by 70% (in Korea there were 10 podiums): starting from a previous winter edition in double figures, there was never such a large growth, going to medal in 2 of the 4 new mixed specialties (the short track relay and the mixed snowboard cross). «The vote – commented Malagò -, in my opinion, is a 7 and a half: we did well. The Olympic preparation, communication, the whole part of Casa Italia, the athletes. I’ve always said that we would win between 13 and 17 medals but no one can think that when you win 17, only 2 are gold.
Few gold medals won
A numerical reading could summarize that Italians are much better at winning medals than golds. «A matter of cents Malagò continued -, injuries, judgments, but it is something to think about. But from a quantitative point of view it remains a record shipment ». On a general level, compared to PyeongChang, among the big countries only Russia has grown more than Italy, while not even China, which competed at home, has managed to have a percentage growth like ours.
Of the 19 Italian medalists, the third largest number ever, 9 are athletes, 10 are female athletes. In fact, Beijing 2022 was once again an Olympics for women with 52.94% female medals, 29.41% men and 17.65% mixed medals. The medals come from 7 regions, but of this ranking, dominated for the second consecutive edition by Lombardy, curiously the first 4 regions (almost 85% of all medals) are the ones that will give life to the next edition of Milan-Cortina 2026 : Lombardy, Veneto, province of Bolzano and Trento.
Italy in Beijing with 119 athletes (82 men and 47 women)
With its 119 athletes (82 men and 47 women) the Italia Team therefore went to the medal in 8 different disciplines: something that has never happened in history. Suffice it to say that in the most successful edition (Lillehammer 1994) Italy went to the medal in 5 disciplines. Better than the Azzurri in China, only Russia, Canada and Norway have done with 9 disciplines. “It is clear that we are multidisciplinary like no one – continued the number 1 of Italian sport -. From the qualitative point of view of the medal table this can be an element of weakness, but from that of sporting culture this is an added value that we have. We are multidisciplinary and eclectic. It is an element of great strength, of profound pride ».