Longer careers open door for athletes to combine sport and motherhood, says Italy’s Lollobrigida

MILAN, Feb 15 : Longer competitive careers in winter sports are giving women more opportunities to become mothers without having to hang up their skates, Italian double Olympic champion Francesca Lollobrigida told Reuters on Sunday.

The 35‑year‑old Rome‑born athlete, who returned to top‑level racing after the birth of her son Tommaso in 2023, has become one of the standout figures of the Winter Games with her two golds in speed skating.

A video showing her cradling her 2‑year‑old moments after her victory in the 3000 metres went viral, challenging assumptions about whether top female athletes can return to peak performance after pregnancy.

Five days later she claimed her second gold medal of the Games in the 5000m.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Milano Cortina Games, Lollobrigida said improved training methods, better medical care and diets were allowing athletes to compete at the highest level for far longer than in previous generations.

This trend should push sports federations to offer the logistical and financial support female athletes need to balance elite competition with motherhood.

"I show that if women want to keep going skating, and they want to have a family, they can choose the right moment for them, and then with the big help of family and the federation, they can try to keep going," she said speaking in English.

"I chose the right moment, and after being a mum, I got a world title, and two Olympic gold medals." 

TAILORED SUPPORT SCHEMES    

She credited the Italian Ice Sports Federation (FISG) with giving her the flexibility and backing that made her comeback possible, from adapted training schedules to logistical assistance during long stretches away from home.

She breastfed Tommaso until he was 18 months old, a