CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have officially commenced for the home favourites, as defending gold medallist Stefania Constantini and partner Amos Mosaner began their title defence with a commanding performance on home ice.
On Thursday, 05 February 2026, the Italian duo — who are also the reigning world champions following their victory in 2025 — secured a vital opening win against South Korea in the mixed doubles round-robin session. The victory marks a “dream start” for Constantini, a native of Cortina, who is under immense pressure to repeat the undefeated gold-medal run she achieved at the Beijing 2022 Games.
The atmosphere at the Olympic curling venue in the Dolomites has been electric, though not without early drama. Competition actually kicked off on Wednesday evening, but play was briefly interrupted by a power outage that affected both the curling arena and luge training facilities. Despite the “nightclub-like” atmosphere caused by the flickering lights, Constantini and Mosaner remained focused for their Thursday morning debut.
Constantini, Italy’s first-ever curling gold medallist, enters these Games as the face of the sport in her home country. Her partnership with Mosaner remains the gold standard in the mixed doubles discipline; the pair entered the 2026 Games with an active streak of dominance, having remained undefeated throughout the 2022 Olympics and the 2025 World Championships.
While the official Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics is scheduled for Friday, 07 February 2026, the curling round-robin stage is already in full swing. Canadian hopefuls Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant also opened their campaign with a win over Czechia, setting the stage for a potential high-stakes showdown with the Italians later in the tournament.
For Constantini, the 2026 Games represent a full-circle moment. As a local hero in Cortina, her quest to defend the Olympic title on the very ice where she honed her craft is being hailed as one of the most significant storylines of these Winter Games.