Short track-Fontana becomes Italy's most decorated Olympian with relay silver

MILAN, Feb 18 : Arianna Fontana became her country's  most decorated Olympian when she led Italy to silver in the women's 3,000 metres short track relay at the Winter Games on Wednesday.

It was the 14th medal of Fontana's Olympic career, eclipsing the record of fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti who won 13 medals between 1936 and 1960.

South Korea took gold and Canada bronze. It was the first short track gold of the Games for the Koreans,  the most successful nation in the discipline at the Olympics.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was in the Milano Ice Skating Arena to witness Fontana make history.

The way was cleared for Italy to take a medal when a Dutch skater fell midway through the race, effectively turning it into a three-team contest.

Fontana, 35, has now won three medals at the Milano Cortina Games. She made her Olympic debut as a teenager when Italy hosted the Turin Games in 2006, picking up the first medal of her career in the women's relay.