The Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina 2026 have delivered no shortage of drama, but few stories have captured the imagination of curling fans quite like the saga of the Italian women’s curling team. Heading into the final round robin match, the Azzurre find themselves at a crossroads—eighth in the standings, with two wins and six losses, and still fighting for pride and a shot at redemption against Great Britain.
With seven gold medals up for grabs on February 19, Italian athletes were in action across a host of disciplines, but the spotlight often drifted back to the ice in Cortina d’Ampezzo. There, the women’s curling team—composed of Stefania Constantini (skip), Elena Mathis (third), Giulia Zardini Lacedelli (second), and Rebecca Mariani (lead)—has faced not only fierce international competition, but also internal controversy and high expectations from a passionate home crowd.
The lead-up to these Games was anything but smooth for the Italian women. The exclusion of veteran Angela Romei, a stalwart of the national squad for over a decade, in favor of 19-year-old Rebecca Mariani, daughter of head coach Marco Mariani, sparked heated debate in Italian curling circles. Romei’s absence was felt both on and off the ice, as she had long been a reference point for the group. The controversy only intensified when it became clear that Mariani would be making her Olympic debut as lead, stepping in for Marta Lo Deserto, who suffered an untimely fall on the ice and was sidelined for the crucial encounter against Canada.
The team’s journey through the tournament has been a rollercoaster. Early results failed to upend the modest expectations set for the squad, with performances lagging behind the heights reached by the celebrated Constantini-Mosaner duo in previous mixed doubles campaigns. Yet, when the chips were down, the Italians showed their mettle. On February 18, in a dramatic showdown with the reigning World Champions, Canada, the Azzurre proved they could go toe-to-toe with the very best.
Italy started the match with the hammer, eking out a single point in the opening end. The Canadians quickly responded, and by the fourth end, the scoreboard read 3-2 in favor of the visitors. After a brief lull, Canada surged ahead in the sixth and seventh ends, stretching their lead to 5-2. But the Italians refused to bow out quietly. They clawed back a point in the eighth, only to see Canada notch two more in the ninth, making it 7-4. The odds looked long, but the home side had one last rally in them.
In a heart-stopping tenth end, Italy executed a flawless series of shots to post three points, tying the game at 7-7 and sending the contest into an extra end. The arena buzzed with anticipation—could the Italians pull off a famous upset? Alas, Canada’s experience and the hammer advantage proved decisive, as they secured the 8-7 win in the extra frame. Still, the performance left Italian fans with a sense of what might have been, and amplified regrets over missed opportunities earlier in the tournament.
Rebecca Mariani’s Olympic debut was one of the night’s most talked-about moments. Thrust into the spotlight under challenging circumstances, Mariani opened the match as lead, while Zardini Lacedelli shifted to second, Mathis remained at third, and Constantini continued her role as skip. For Mariani, the pressure was immense—not only was she replacing an injured teammate, but her selection had already been the subject of intense scrutiny. Yet, she held her nerve, contributing to Italy’s spirited display against the world’s best.
Beyond the ice, the emotional heartbeat of the team has been Stefania Constantini. Her leadership and passion were on full display in Italy’s earlier victory over Japan, a match that saw her unleash a shout so thunderous during the decisive point that it stunned both the arena and social media. That yell, as some observers joked, might have startled even motorists outside the venue. But for Constantini, it was simply the release of pent-up tension and a reflection of her role as the squad’s captain. "The tension for the last, decisive point. The management of the brooms by my teammates, maybe a bit too aggressive at the start of the trajectory," she explained. The moment also highlighted the respect she commands within the group—her teammates, initially frozen in the moment, rallied to finish the winning shot, clinching Italy’s second victory of the tournament and lifting them from the bottom of the standings.
Constantini’s leadership extends off the ice as well. After securing an Olympic bronze, she dedicated the medal to the excluded Angela Romei, saying, "In the stands, doing commentary and truly following me all week, was my teammate and best friend Angela Romei, with whom I would have liked to share this Olympic experience next week." The gesture underscored the deep bonds and tensions that have shaped this team’s journey.
Looking at the wider Olympic curling picture, Sweden and Switzerland have already booked their places in the semifinals, while Korea, the USA, Canada, and Great Britain are all battling for the remaining spots. Italy’s final round robin match, scheduled for February 19 at 14:05 against Great Britain, offers a last chance to influence the standings and perhaps play the role of spoiler. Great Britain, for their part, are fighting tooth and nail for a semifinal berth, making the clash a high-stakes affair for both sides.
Elsewhere in the Olympic program, Italian athletes have been busy chasing glory. The debut of ski mountaineering saw Giulia Murada and Alba De Silvestro competing in the women’s sprint, while Michele Boscacci represented the men in the same event. Samuel Costa and Aaron Kostner took on the Nordic combined team sprint, Daniele Di Stefano raced in the men’s 1500m speed skating, and Lara Naki Gutmann took to the ice in the women’s figure skating free program. The men’s curling team, led by Sebastiano Arman, Mattia Giovanella, Amos Mosaner, Joel Retornaz, and Alberto Pimpini, faced Switzerland in their round robin match, with a potential semifinal appearance on the horizon.
As the Italian women’s curling team prepares for their final act in this Olympic drama, the storylines of heartbreak, resilience, and controversy continue to swirl. Whether or not they can finish with a flourish against Great Britain, their campaign has already left an indelible mark on the home Games, sparking debate and admiration in equal measure. The outcome may still be uncertain, but the passion and pride of these athletes are beyond question.