FROM THE ENCOUNTER IN BEIJING. With an incredible final in the Capital Indoor Stadium, the blue team won the bronze thanks to the courageous slide across the finish line that allowed the Azzurri to precede Russia by 9 thousandths. The result was established at the photo finish: at first the timing system had assigned the podium to the Russians.
Italy led almost all the five kilometers of the race in the rear. With three laps to go, the Azzurri overtake, then the Russians overtake and the almost simultaneous arrival at the finish line.
For the blue short track this is the third Olympic medal after the silver in the mixed team race and the gold of Arianna Fontana in the 500.
Ice sports (to be added the gold of curling and the silver of Francesca Lollobrigida in the 3000 of speed skating) thus confirm Italy’s treasure chest.
This is the hundredth Olympic medal for the president of Coni, Giovanni Malagò. The bronze of the short track not only transforms the Beijing 2022 expedition into the second blue edition with the most medal ever (after Lillehammer 1994 with 20 podiums and equal merit with Albertville 1992), but also gives a prestigious round figure. Since Malagò has been at the helm of Coni, Italy has won 8 medals in Sochi 2014 (6 silvers and 2 bronzes), 28 in Rio 2016 (8 golds, 12 silvers and 8 bronzes), 10 in PyeongChang 2018 (3 golds, 5 silvers and 2 bronzes), 40 in Tokyo 2020 (10 golds, 10 silvers and 20 bronzes) and with today’s 14 in Beijing 2022 (2 golds, 6 silvers and 6 bronzes). Altogether there are 23 golds, 39 silvers and 38 bronzes.