Maybritt Vigl is about to make her Olympic debut.

Maybritt Vigl's Olympic premiere

The Winter Olympics could hardly have started better for Italy: On Saturday, Francesca Lollobrigida secured the first gold medal for the host nation – thus writing a special chapter in speed skating history. Now, a skater from South Tyrol is also joining the fray.

February 08, 2026

From: pm

On her 35th birthday, Lollobrigida won the women's 3000 meters in an outstanding 3:54.28 minutes. With this time, she not only took gold but also set a new Olympic record. After her two medals at the 2022 Beijing Games, this is her first Olympic victory. For the experienced Italian, these are already her fourth Olympic Games – and also her first as a mother. Her son Tommaso was born in 2023.

What makes this triumph particularly remarkable is the Italian's difficult season. Lollobrigida herself had described it as the "worst season of her career." The victory in front of her home crowd was all the more emotional for it. And her Olympic program is far from over: with the 5000-meter, 1500-meter, and mass start races, three more chances for a medal await.

Maybritt Vigl joins in

But while Italy celebrates its golden moment, the next Azzurra, Maybritt Vigl, is already at the starting line. The 21-year-old from Ritten in South Tyrol will compete in the 1000 meters – her strongest distance – in Milan on Monday at 5:30 p.m. Vigl is currently the fastest Italian woman over this distance and will thus be making her Olympic debut.

"I'm looking forward to the races, the atmosphere, my family and friends who are traveling to Milan to watch and cheer me on." Maybritt Vigl

For Vigl, the start is a very special moment: “I’m incredibly excited for the race, of course I’m a little nervous and tense. You can tell that among the athletes, since the competitions started, everyone is trying to savor every moment – ​​me included. I’m looking forward to the races, the atmosphere, my family and friends who are traveling to Milan to watch and cheer me on. But also everyone who’s cheering me on at home in front of the TV. I can hardly wait to start; I think it will be an unforgettable race. I know that the competition is incredibly strong and large, but I want to have a good race for myself and be able to say that I gave it my all.”

With the 30 best female speed skaters in the world, the race promises to be thrilling. Among the favorites are 2022 Olympic champion Miho Takagi from Japan, silver medalist Jutta Leerdam from the Netherlands, American Brittany Bowe, and overall World Cup winner Femke Kok. The current Olympic record for this distance is 1:13.19 minutes – set by Takagi.