For most athletes, competing at the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of their careers. But doing so on home soil is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that only a few are lucky enough to enjoy. 

It’s no surprise, then, that Italy’s Short Track athletes are buzzing with excitement. They find themselves at the perfect age and moment to be serious contenders for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 — the first Olympics hosted in Italy in two decades.

Chiara Betti (ITA) ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2025, Beijing (CHN) ©ISU

During the final leg of the ISU Short Track World Tour in February taking place at the Forum Assago arena in Milano (ITA), the excitement was palpable: “It is amazing to look around this venue and think, ‘this is where the Games are going to happen’, a really strange feeling, because we do not normally have big, important Short Track races in Italy,” says Chiara Betti. “I was here for a concert once, to see an Italian rock band called Maneskin, they’re so big and famous. And now the arena is for us. The best thing is that our families and our friends can come to see us race. Not many people are lucky enough to have the Olympics in their country.” 

Thomas Nadalini (ITA) ISU Short Track World Tour Speed Skating 2024, Montreal (CAN) ©ISU

Her teammate Thomas Nadalini agrees: “It would mean so much to be here in a year’s time,” he says. “I haven’t processed what it might be like at the Olympics, really. I didn’t know what to expect. My family and friends, are all here cheering for me. My dad has come here to see the racing. It is fun for him. I work every day to make him prouder and try my best. I will try very hard to be here next year. But you can’t let the emotions take over, you’ve got to stay focused.”

The athletes also know this is a once in a lifetime chance to get their sport in the spotlight. “In Italy people are excited for the Olympics,” says Betti. “Not so many people know Short Track in Italy, so we hope to show them what it is about. Ours is not a big sport but we will convince them to come and see us. Maybe people will know who we are after the Olympics, it is a dream. The venue also gets the thumbs up. It is the perfect space, a lot of public can come and see us and cheer,” says Betti.

Winter Olympic Games 2026 venue the Unipol Forum, Assago Milan (ITA) ©ISU

“I really like this rink, the ice is good, the atmosphere is good,” adds Nadalini. “It would be great to have more World Tour races here in the future, too.” 

Arianna Fontana is likely to be one of the faces of Milano Cortina 2026 – she is her country’s most successful winter Olympian. It will complete a remarkable cycle for her: Fontana made her debut at Torino 2006 Winter Olympics, as a 15-year-old Relay Team member. 

 Arianna Fontana at ISU Short Track World Tour 2025, Milan (ITA) ©ISU

In February, during the final event of the ISU Short Track World Tour – which also served as a test event for the upcoming Winter Olympics - a busload of her family and friends came out to watch her compete. She rewarded them by winning a silver and a bronze medal. “A lot of people from my village came to watch, and they made big heads of my face, to sit up in the stands with,” she said. “It’s something special, and we could really start to feel the passion at this event.”

ISU Short Track World Tour 2025, Milan (ITA) ©ISU 

It was left to the Men’s 5000m Relay Team to really lift the roof of the Assago Forum, however. They saw off a bold challenge from Canada to win Italy’s first gold medal of the final leg of the Short Track World Tour, and send the fans in blue wild. “That was incredible,” said Pietro Sighel, who brought home the Relay win – and who, with Fontana, will carry his nation’s key hopes for Olympic golds next February. 

“We have been looking forward to this event in Milan all year and aiming to win this relay. We have a good young team and it was very exciting. We can’t wait to be back in this venue next year.”, concluded said Pietro Sighel.