Italian speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida, who won the hosts their first gold medal Saturday in a record-setting performance on her birthday and had the celebration with her son go viral, had an equally impressive second act. Lollobrigida won the 5000m Thursday by one-tenth of a second, throwing her arms up in glee as she crossed the finish line, her bright green nails flashing in the air as her home crowd celebrated with her. She won the bronze in the European Championships in the mass start event in January 2024. Lollobrigida was all smiles as she stood atop the podium on Thursday, singing along with every word of the Italian national anthem. “It’s not that easy to combine being a skater and a mom,” said Lollobrigida, who estimated she’s away from home roughly 250 days a year.

Source: International New York Times February 12, 2026 17:26 UTC