The 2026 Winter Olympics came as a blessing for the Italian speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida. Competing in the women’s 3000m speed skating category, the Italian athlete clinched a prestigious gold medal. But as her two-year-old son spotted his mother, he did not care about the gold medal. 

“I was really hurt by many mean comments. I was very spontaneous; I wanted to hug him because I hadn’t seen him for a week. Then he wanted his mom. The comments made me sad, especially from women, because instead we should encourage each other. Some called my son rude. Say everything to me, but not to a two-year-old child,” said a saddened Lollobrigida. 

She was stunned to see how fans did not like the adorable moment shared between her and the small one. Following her gold medal win, Lollobrigida came face-to-face with the media. However, as her sister ran in with her son, the Italian speed skater immediately scooped him up in her arms. 

The next moment, it was the two-year-old who took over the interview. As the 35-year-old star tried to speak, her son started to chant ‘mum’ constantly. He even covered her face, grabbed her nose, and played with her recently won gold medal. 

Elated by the interaction, a laughing Lollobrigida then replied how she missed her son. 

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“I wanted to go straight to him, but they could not let me in that moment, and they were not going to hand him to me over the ice,” said Lollobrigida. 

Coming to her performance on the ice, Lollobrigida played like a champion. Already the reigning champion in the 5000m, she crossed the finish line in just 6 minutes and 46.17 seconds. In the process, the Italian beat Merel Conijn (6 minutes 46.27 seconds). Rounding off the podium, Ragne Wiklund won bronze as she finished in 6 minutes and 46.34 seconds. 

The occasion was even more remarkable as Lollobrigida won her gold medal on her 35th birthday! However, fresh off her gold medal victory, Lollobrigida had only one person in mind.

Francesca Lollobrigida leaves podium to celebrate gold with her toddler son

Just moments after Francesca Lollobrigida bagged her gold medal, her eyes immediately started searching for her baby. She took no time to spot two-year-old Tommaso. Lollobrigida wanted her son to join her in the moment of celebration.

However, the little one was not allowed to join her mother where she was, after winning the 3,000 meters. Lollabrigida then made a decision.

The mother shared, “So I said, ‘Fine. I’ll go to him. Aside from doing this for me, I did it for him, so one day he will be proud of me. Not just for being an Olympic champion, but for all of the journey we’ve lived together.”

For Lollobrigida, the victory mattered most when shared with her child. She wholeheartedly wanted to turn her sporting triumph into a personal memory. A memory she hopes he’ll cherish as much as the title itself.