Italy enjoys a record-breaking day at the Winter Olympics by claiming six medals

MILAN (AP) — This could turn out to be Italy’s best Winter Olympics ever after a record-breaking day on home snow and ice.

The host nation picked up six medals on Sunday, the most Italy has ever won in a single day at the Winter Olympics. The breakdown: one silver and five bronze.

Ski star Sofia Goggia kicked it off with a bronze medal in the women’s downhill and Lucia Dalmasso was also third in snowboarding’s parallel giant slalom.

The Italy team won silver in the mixed relay biathlon race and Riccardo Lorello claimed bronze in the men’s speedskating 5,000 meters.

The official X account for the Milan Cortina Games proclaimed it to be Italy’s best day in Winter Olympics history. And that was before Dominik Fischnaller won bronze in men’s singles luge, and before Italy took bronze in the figure skating team event in the evening.

“Competing at home is definitely something unique. The fans did their part,” Lorello said. “I’m very happy to have put the cherry on top tonight. And I’m proud of all of my Italian teammates in the other sports.”

Italy has nine medals after just two days of medal events, with the host nation winning gold, silver and bronze on Saturday.

The Azzurri are almost halfway to their best ever tally at a Winter Games, that was 20 at Lillehammer in 1994.

Italy won 11 medals the last time it hosted the Games, in Turin in 2006. It claimed 17 in Beijing four years ago.

At a ceremony in October to mark 100 days to go until the start of the Milan Cortina Games, Italian Olympic Committee president Luciano Buonfiglio said Italy was aiming for a minimum target of 19 medals.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Italy's Lisa Vittozzi, Dorothea Wierer, Lukas Hofer and Tommaso Giacomel pose with the silver medal for the 4X6-kilometer mixed relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Italy's Lucia Dalmasso celebrates winning the bronze medal against Italy's Elisa Caffont during the women's snowboarding parallel giant slalom finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Riccardo Lorello of Italy celebrates after competing in the men's 5,000 meters speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Italy's Dominik Fischnaller, right, celebrates winning the bronze medal as he arrives at the finish during a men's single luge run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Italy's Sofia Goggia shows her bronze medal for an alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Former Romania coach Mircea Lucescu reportedly suffered a heart attack on Friday morning at the hospital where he is being treated.

The 80-year-old Lucescu, who left the national team on Thursday, is in stable condition.

Lucescu had been hospitalized on Sunday after falling ill at training with a heart problem, three days after his team lost a World Cup qualifying playoff against Turkey.

The University Emergency Hospital Bucharest released a statement on Friday without naming Lucescu for legal reasons but local media reported that the Romania great is the patient concerned.

“During the morning, the patient suffered an acute myocardial infarction,” read the statement. “He was taken to the emergency room and promptly received the necessary medical and therapeutic interventions, according to the protocols in force.

“Currently, his condition is stable, under close specialist monitoring. The patient remains hospitalized in the Cardiology Department, where he is receiving appropriate medical care.”

Lucescu captained Romania at the 1970 World Cup in Brazil and was coach for its European Championship debut in 1984.

Lucescu coached clubs in Italy, Turkey — where he also led the national team — Ukraine and Russia. He returned to coach Romania after a 38-year gap to try and qualify for the World Cup in North America.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Romania's head coach Mircea Lucescu follows the action during the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)

Romania's head coach Mircea Lucescu gives instructions during the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Turkey and Romania, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo)