Alessandro Loreggia in action.

A Bolzano native shines in the short track

The Italian Short Track Speed ​​Skating Championships were held in Turin on February 28th and March 1st. The program included races over 500, 1000, and 1500 meters, as well as the concluding 1500-meter Super Final, in which the best athletes competed for crucial points in the overall standings. Among the participants were the two South Tyrolean skaters, Alessandro Loreggia and Nicole Botter Gomez.

March 02, 2026

From: pm

Over 1500 meters, Nicole Botter Gomez finished sixth, while Alessandro Loreggia came in fourth, narrowly missing the podium. In the 1000-meter race, Nicole finished tenth, and Alessandro came in sixth. Nicole performed particularly well in the 500 meters, finishing fourth: "I'm quite satisfied with my 500-meter performance," she explained after the competition.

In the final 1500-meter super final, Alessandro Loreggia made a clear statement. The athlete from Bolzano secured the victory and the gold medal. Nicole finished sixth in the super final. In the overall standings, these results placed Nicole Botter Gomez seventh, while Alessandro Loreggia finished the championship in fourth place. Elisa Confortola secured the overall women's title, and Pietro Sighel triumphed in the men's competition.

Alessandro Loreggia drew a positive overall conclusion, even though the first races didn't go as hoped: "I think I gave it my all, prepared well, and presented myself in good form. Unfortunately, I didn't achieve what I wanted in the first three races. Due to contact and penalties, I dropped from the front positions, where I could have fought for the podium, to the back of the field and had to catch up. In the Super Final, I was able to fight my way back and win gold. It wasn't enough for the podium in the overall standings, but I'm still very satisfied. Now we'll wait and see what goals are still in store for this season – it's not over yet."

For some members of the Italian national short track team, important highlights are still to come: the 3rd Coppa Italia and the ITA Challenger on March 7th and 8th in Bormio. Just a few days later, from March 13th to 15th, the World Championships will take place in Montreal, Canada. Which athletes will be nominated for these international competitions is not yet officially known.