By Pearl Josephine Nazare
MILAN, Feb 17 (Reuters) – An inspired Italy delighted the home crowd with a stunning victory in the Olympic men’s team pursuit final as Canada’s Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann delivered another seamless performance to beat the Netherlands in the women’s event and retain their title on Tuesday.
Italy’s men upset the U.S. who arrived at the Games as world champions and gold medal favourites.
Spurred on by double Olympic champion Francesca Lollobrigida, the Italian team of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti electrified a frenzied arena as they stormed to a time of three minutes 39.20 seconds – a commanding 4.51 seconds clear of the Americans with China taking bronze.
The roar inside the venue as Italy powered home was thunderous as the crowd rose to their feet, cheering the host nation to one of their most special golds of a highly successful Games.
Canada’s women crossed the line 0.96 seconds ahead of the Netherlands, stopping the clock at two minutes 55.81 seconds, and Japan rounded out the women’s podium by beating the U.S. in the Final B.
It was only Canada’s third gold medal of the Games, following Mikael Kingsbury’s win in men’s dual moguls and Megan Oldham’s victory in women’s freeski big air.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare; editing by Clare Fallon and Ed Osmond)
Comments