Feb. 4 – Francesca Lollobrigida is the first Roman athlete, also member of the Air Force, to participate in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, where she will compete in the “speed skating” category. Gina Lollobrigida is one of the greatest Italian divas of the ’50s and ’60s; her niece, Francesca, is a young skater who has qualified for the Olympics with a time of 4’07 ’47, establishing the new Italian record for 3000 meters. The athlete was in Rome yesterday, at City Hall, and was named “City bearer” for the Winter Olympics. “This way, a piece of the Capital will fly to Sochi – says Luca Pancalli, Councilor for Sports and Quality of Life of the City of Rome – and we are proud of her.” Francesca Lollobrigida, born in 1991, will celebrate her 23rd birthday on February 7th, the day the sporting event kicks off. “It will be a special birthday – says the skater – certainly full of excitement.” The Olympics is the most important arena for all athletes. “The Air Force wanted to invest in me – continues the athlete – and I managed to win the title, but not without difficulty.” The young champion’s “minimum goal is to finish in the top ten.” Francesca also received a Medal of Valor from the Coni in 2012 and will receive another one in 2013, during which she won four world titles. Francesca Lollobrigida is a triumph of Italian talents, waiting to be dutifully represented at the Sochi Olympics.
