Milano Cortina 2026: Italy strike gold in speed skating, Canada defend Olympic title

MILAN: Host nation Italy delivered a thrilling performance to win gold in the men’s team pursuit speed skating event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, while Canada successfully defended their women’s Olympic title in a dominant display on Tuesday.

Italy’s win

Italy stunned world champions the United States to claim one of their most memorable gold medals of the Games. The Italian trio of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti clocked an impressive time of 3:39.20, finishing 4.51 seconds ahead of the Americans.

Skating in front of a passionate home crowd at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, Italy showed remarkable composure and power in the final laps to secure victory. China completed the podium by winning the bronze medal.

The United States team, Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman, entered the final as strong favourites and world record holders. Dawson had even skipped his individual 10,000m race to focus on the team pursuit, but Italy’s late surge proved decisive.

With this victory, Italy now lead the speed skating medal table at Milano Cortina 2026 with three gold medals and one bronze, strengthening their position among the top-performing nations at the Winter Olympics.

Canada defend women’s team

In the women’s team pursuit final, Canada’s Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann successfully defended their Olympic crown with a smooth and controlled performance.

The Canadian trio stopped the clock at 2:55.81, finishing 0.96 seconds ahead of the Netherlands to secure back-to-back Olympic gold medals. Japan claimed bronze after defeating the United States in the Final B.

Weidemann, a three-time Olympic medallist, played a key role in setting the rhythm for Canada, guiding the team with consistent pacing throughout the race.

Canada’s victory marked their third gold medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, adding to their successes in freestyle skiing and moguls earlier in the Games.

Italy and Canada shine

The team pursuit finals delivered high drama and elite performances, highlighting the intensity of speed skating at Milano Cortina 2026. Italy’s historic win thrilled home fans, while Canada reinforced their dominance in the women’s event.

As the Winter Olympics continue, both nations have firmly established themselves as major contenders on the ice, with more medal opportunities still to come.