Italy aiming for ‘at least’ 19 Milan-Cortina medals: Olympic committee chief

The president of Italy’s Olympic committee (CONI) said Wednesday that the host nation of the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games is aiming for at least 19 medals, with 100 days to go until the start of the winter sports showpiece.

“After the 17 medals won in Beijing in 2022 we have to get 19 medals, at least 19,” Luciano Buonfiglio said during an event in Milan marking the milestone day for the Winter Olympics, which run over February 6-22, 2026.

Italy has a clutch of winter sports stars, including alpine downhill specialist Sofia Goggia, former biathlon world champion Lisa Vittozzi and speed skater Arianna Fontana, the country’s most decorated Olympian with 12 medals.

Buonfiglio’s goal is one less than Italy’s record medal haul of 20 at a Winter Olympics, set at the Lillehammer Games in 1994 when the country claimed seven golds and finished fourth in the medals table.

Three years ago Italy won just two golds, in the curling mixed doubles and through Fontana in the short track 500 metres.

Italy will be expecting more from its alpine skiers, in particular Sofia Goggia, a gold medal winner in the downhill in 2018, and Dominik Paris who has never claimed an Olympic podium but has won six World Cup races at Bormio where the men’s events will be held next year.

Reigning alpine World Cup champion Federica Brignone, who also won world championship gold in the giant slalom last season, is in a race against time to be ready for the Games after suffering a double left leg break in April.

Two-time world champion Marta Bassino will miss her home Winter Olympics following a broken leg she suffered during a training fall last week.

Vittozzi is another one to look out for, as the 30-year-old was the best in the world in 2023-24 season and is coming back from injury problems which left her sidelined all last winter.

Teen freestyle skiing prodigy Flora Tabanelli is also tipped for a medal after the 17-year-old won world championship gold in the big air discipline in March.