Success was shared across European National Olympic Committees (NOC) on day two of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Bakuriani, Georgia, with athletes from four countries claiming gold medals.
Italy sit second in the medal table, behind early leaders France, after earning their first two gold medals of the Winter EYOF. In Cross-Country Skiing, Daniel Pedranzini triumphed in the Boys’ 7.5km Classic with a time of 19:45, claiming an impressive victory by more than 16 seconds ahead of Finland’s Topias Vuorela in second and more than half-a-minute ahead of France’s Victor Lafrasse in third.
Over in Batumi, the margins were significantly tighter for Italian short track speed skater Filippo Pezzoni’s victory in the Boys’ 500m. He clocked 43.420sec to edge out second-placed Franciszek Izbicki of Poland and third-placed Mihaly Arendas of Hungary.
Isra Gharsallaoui of France won the Girls’ 500m race, crossing the finish line in 45.994sec to beat Natasa Z. Molnar of Hungary by 0.108 and Maria Khokhelko of Ukraine by 0.283.
The other Cross-County Skiing gold on day two went to Sweden’s Malva Nisen, who won the Girls’ 5km Classic in 14:48.7. Gaëtane Breniaux (France) came second with Nina Cantieni of Switzerland in third finished just over half-a-minute further back.
Switzerland’s Lara Bianchi was the day’s other winner in the Girls’ Giant Slalom in Alpine Skiing. She posted a time of 1:39.55 across her two runs, staving off competition from Italy’s Marta Giaretta in second and Norway’s Helene Unhjem Oveland in third.
Day three of the Winter EYOF tomorrow will see the first medals awarded in Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing, along with the Biathlon Single Mixed Relay.
