The Italian mountains have witnessed the growth of some of the greatest winter sports performers. Deborah Compagnoni from Valtellina, the first athlete to win Olympic gold in three different editions, dominated the giant slalom between 1994 and 1998. Before her, the “Pink Avalanche” of the 1980s – with Paoletta Magoni and Daniela Zini, among others – propelled Italian women’s skiing to the pinnacle.

In short track skiing, following the records and world titles of Katja Colturi and Marinella Canclini, with 2 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze, Arianna Fontana is now the Italian athlete with the most Olympic medals.

This record previously belonged to cross-country skier Stefania Belmondo, who boasts 23 World Cup victories and the same number of medals at the Olympics and World Championships.

Among the international stars, the name of Bonnie Blair of the United States – five gold medals and one bronze in speed skating in four Olympics – stands out, as does Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen, the most successful athlete in the history of the Winter Games with 15 medals, including eight golds.

Paralympian Francesca Porcellato, known as the “Flying Red,” has collected 14 medals in athletics, cross-country skiing, and paracycling, becoming one of the few Italian athletes to have won at the Summer and Winter Paralympics.