by InTrieste
Residents of the mountain village of Sappada gathered in the Fontana hamlet on Monday to celebrate two local athletes who returned from the 2026 Winter Olympics with medals, marking another chapter in the community’s long winter sports tradition.
The event took place near the trails where biathlete Lisa Vittozzi trains and drew ski clubs, families and residents carrying flags and banners. Many lined the snow-covered paths to welcome Vittozzi, who won gold in the individual biathlon and silver in the mixed relay, and cross-country skier Davide Graz, who earned bronze in the men’s relay.
For a village of roughly 1,300 people, the celebration reflected an outsized Olympic legacy. Sappada athletes have now won 13 medals in Winter Games history — an unusually high figure that locals often note amounts to roughly one medal for every 100 residents.
At the recent Games, three of Italy’s 30 medals came from athletes with ties to the village, reinforcing its reputation as a training hub for Nordic skiing and biathlon.
During the gathering, youth ski club members stood alongside veteran coaches, many of whom have worked for decades on the trails above the village. Organizers described the celebration as both a tribute to the medalists and a moment to highlight the role of local sports culture in sustaining future generations of athletes.
