Milan, 12 February (LaPresse) – Arianna Fontana wins a historic silver medal in the women's 500m final at the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. The Italian, Olympic champion in Beijing over the same distance, had to concede defeat to the phenomenal Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer, who set a new world and Olympic record in the semi-finals and won the final with a time of 41.609 seconds. Fontana finished second with a time of 42.294 seconds. The bronze medal went to Canada's Courtney Sarault in 42"427. For the 35-year-old from Valtellina, this is her 13th medal in six editions of the Winter Olympics, equalling the record set by fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti as the most decorated athletes in the history of Italian sport.
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