Italian Speedskater Wins Gold at 35 on Her Birthday

Francesca Lollobrigida turned 35 on Saturday and celebrated by breaking an Olympic record in front of thousands of cheering Italian fans. The speedskater from a small town near Rome raced to gold in the women's 3,000 meters, giving host nation Italy its first medal of the Milan Cortina Games.

Her winning time of 3 minutes, 54.28 seconds shattered the previous Olympic record by more than 2.5 seconds. She finished more than two seconds ahead of Norway's Ragne Wiklund, with Canada's Valerie Maltais taking bronze.

The crowd at the Milan venue erupted as Lollobrigida was introduced before her race. She responded with a huge smile and double-armed wave, placing her hands over her heart before stepping onto the ice.

This marked Lollobrigida's fourth Olympics and her first gold medal. The mother of a two-year-old son had won silver and bronze at the Beijing Games four years ago, but this victory felt different.

She trailed at the first checkpoint but steadily gained ground throughout the race. The roar of her countrymen seemed to fuel her final lap as she surged ahead, arms pumping powerfully behind her.

Why This Inspires

After crossing the finish line with the fastest time of the day, Lollobrigida couldn't bear to watch the remaining four competitors. She kept covering her eyes with her hands, peeking through her fingers as she waited to see if her time would hold.

Her victory carries extra sweetness as the first gold medal ever won by an Italian woman in speedskating. Racing at home, on her birthday, as a working mother in her mid-thirties, she proved that peak performance doesn't have an age limit.

Lollobrigida hails from Frascati, a picturesque hill town outside Rome famous for its white wine. Her great aunt was Gina Lollobrigida, the legendary Italian actress who captivated audiences in the 1950s and 60s, making this latest Lollobrigida a star in her own right.

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you give yourself through years of dedication and one perfect race.