Applause as Italy closes the European Short Track Championships with three medals. Italy’s ice athletes enjoy the celebrations and the mighty Arianna Fontana. The Italian athlete was the star of the show: today she kicked things off by winning the overall title, much to the delight of crowds in Turin’s Palavela arena. The multiple Olympic medallist, who won gold in the 1500 the day before, pulled off an incredible performance and fought off the Russian athletes Prosvirnova and Konstantinova, winning her sixth overall European title in the place where she began her incredible Olympic career aged just 15, when she won bronze in 2006. Lucia Peretti came in fifth, whilst Martina Valcepina won sixth place.

The audience’s applause hailed yet another endeavour for the champion, wiping out even the disappointment of her fall (and related disqualification) in the 1000, one and a half laps from the finish line. Fontana then wanted to put the cherry on top of a much celebrated event, leading the women’s relay team (which, in addition to the overall finalists, also included Cecilia Maffei) to gold. Meanwhile, the men’s relay team, made up of Nicola Rodigari, Yuri Confortola, Tommaso Dotti and Andrea Casinelli, took bronze behind the Netherlands and Russia.