Fontana extends medal record as Italy wins Olympic short track mixed team relay

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MILAN (AP) — Italy's Arianna Fontana won her 12th Olympic medal and third gold at her sixth Winter Games to extend her record as the most decorated short track speedskater of all time Tuesday.

Fontana and the Italian team dominated the mixed team relay final to the delight of the vocal home crowd in the first short track final of the Milan Cortina Olympics. Canada was second and Belgium third.

Fontana started off the relay and put Italy into the lead on her second stint. Pietro Sighel spun backward in celebration as he crossed the line.

In an Olympic career which began at the age of 15 the last time Italy hosted the Winter Games in 2006, Fontana had won 11 previous medals and was already the most decorated Italian Winter Olympian ever.

World champion Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands was fastest in the heats of the women's 500 and Fontana qualified in the event she won in 2018 and 2022.

Felix Roussel of Canada was the fastest qualifier in the men's 1,000, which also continues with quarterfinals Thursday. ___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics