From flagbearer to mentor: Italian Kostner closes the circle at Milano Cortina

MILAN, Jan 12 : Former Italian figure skater Carolina Kostner will bring her Olympic journey full circle at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, two decades after carrying the flag for Italy as a 19-year-old prospect in Turin.

Kostner will not return to the ice as a competitor but will relive the thrill of a home Olympics as assistant to Japanese skater Yuma Kagiyama, advising on artistic and choreographic elements – the hallmarks of her own performances during a decorated career.

Her presence at Milano Cortina, where she will also work as a TV commentator, comes amid a wave of high-profile comebacks in sport, which the 38-year-old ruled out for herself.  

"Being able to represent skating during the Olympics in Italy is a great honour," she said.

"It's a circle that closes, let's say. Having followed my dreams for so many years, now being able to pass them on to future generations is a wonderful responsibility."

BOUNCING BACK

At Turin 2006, all eyes were on her, but she fell short of high expectations, crashing repeatedly in front of home fans.

She refused to give up, however, going on to win five European titles, a world gold in 2012 and an Olympic bronze at Sochi in 2014.

Kostner's love for skating, forged through discipline and grit, helped her bounce back time and again, returning to elite competition even after a lengthy ban in 2015 for attempting to cover up the use of performance-enhancing drugs by her former boyfriend, Alex Schwazer, the former Olympic champion race walker.

After Turin, she went to three more Games, finishing fifth at Pyeongchang in 2018 at 31 before injuries ended her career.

OFFERING SUPPORT 

If she had to give advice to a young skater dreaming of Milano Cortina, Kostner said it would be to stay present