(Video) 18-Year Old Winter Olympic Medalist Flora Tabanelli Recieves Massive Ovation From Her Schoolmates On Return

Flora Tabanelli won bronze in the women’s freeski big air behind Megan Oldham of Canada and Eileen Gu of People’s Republic of China.

(Video) 18-Year Old Winter Olympic Medalist Flora Tabanelli Recieves Massive Ovation From Her Schoolmates On Return

Flora Tabanelli received a massive ovation (Image via Shutterstock, Screengrab via @scola_ladina on Instagram)

In Short
  • Flora Tabanelli, 18, received a warm welcome from classmates upon returning to school after winning a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics 2026.
  • She is currently studying art at the Ski College in Pozza di Fassa and preparing for the Maturità exam in June.
  • Tabanelli aims to pursue a university degree in Mathematics while balancing her athletic career.

Flora Tabanelli, just 18, won her first Olympic medal and went on to do what every 18-year-old does: go to school. What she didn’t expect was a human chain welcoming her, clapping, and celebrating her magnificent achievement at the Winter Olympics 2026.

The Scuola Ladina di Fassa shared a video on Instagram, capturing the standing ovation that classmates and teachers gave in tribute to the young athlete.

Tabanelli, who won bronze in the big air, is currently enrolled at the Ski College in Pozza di Fassa, where she’s learning art. At 18, Tabanelli is set to attend the Maturità, the prestigious and crucial test that high schoolers take to attain a diploma, in June.

Tabanelli is not too worried about the upcoming test, knowing that she has to face it at some point. She’s actually looking forward to the test as she can finally have a holiday, something she hasn’t had a chance to enjoy with the schoolwork and the Winter Olympics.

After her high school, she’s looking to further focus on studies with a university degree in Mathematics. However, she hasn’t made a solid decision since she has some time to do so. Nevertheless, she emphasized that a university degree is an important medal, though it might be a bit challenging to balance academics with sports. Tabanelli told Corriere dello Sport:

Being a high-level athlete with a packed competition schedule, often traveling around the world, means living an intense and unique life. It may not be the same as that of most people my age, but I’m very satisfied with my journey and the many goals still ahead of me.

In the Milano Cortina 2026, Tabanelli competed in the women’s freeski big air, where she registered one of the best runs in the final to place in third place behind Megan Oldham and Eileen Gu. At 18-years, she has become the youngest medalist for the host nation.

Italy had a sensational run at the Winter Olympics 2026

Italy has been a part of the Winter Olympics since Chamonix in 1924, and they have never had a double-digit gold medal or any color for that matter. The 1994 Lillehammer was their best performance in terms of medals (20) as well as gold medals (7).

Francesca Lollobrigida
Francesca Lollobrigida posing for a photo after medal ceremony with her son Tomasso (Image via the New York Times)

In Milano Cortina 2026, the Italians started with a double podium in the first medal event, Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris winning silver and bronze in the men’s downhill. They had their first gold soon enough with Francesca Lollobrigida in speed skating. Across two weeks, the Azzuris bagged thirty gold medals, ten of them being gold, six of them silver, and the remaining fourteen being bronze.

Lollobrigida and Federica Brignone each had two gold medals each. Arianna Fontana, who made her debut twenty years ago in Turin at 15 years, won three medals, taking her total to fourteen. She surpassed fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti as the most decorated Italian Olympian.

Speed Skating and Alpine Skiing delivered the most medals with five each, followed by Luge and short track with four. In speed skating, the Italians won three gold medals. In addition to Lollobrigida’s two, the men’s team pursuit won the gold, defeating Team USA in a scintillating finish. It was a night of the ages for the Italians, defeating the record-holders. Lisa Vittozzi‘s gold in biathlon was the first-ever individual biathlon gold for the hosts.

In Luge, the Italians scored a win in the women’s doubles, which was introduced for the first time. They also won the men’s doubles as well. In the thirty medals awarded, 12 each were won by men and women, while 6 came from mixed events.

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