While an unknown teenager in Turin, she is one of the faces of this year’s Games 20 years on. Fontana carried the Italian flag at the opening ceremony at San Siro, leading the home nation as tens of thousands of compatriots cheered in the crowd.
It was the second time Fontana was honoured to be the opening ceremony flagbearer, having also carried the flag at Pyeongchang 2018.
On how she has kept winning Olympic medals and maintained her place at the top end of speed skating since before Instagram was invented, Fontana says it comes down to a love of the sport – and a love of herself.
“I do have experience, but I have the same drive I did when I was 15. I never get on the ice just to show up,” she added.
“With time, I have been able to understand my body, and my mental fitness – I have taken more time off from racing, more breaks, because mentally it can be tough.
“Elite athletes, we put pressure on ourselves easily, we have high expectation and it can be hard mentally.”
She needed that mental fortitude in the build-up to the Games as a series of injuries – including a hip issue in October – hampered her preparations.
It put paid to Fontana’s plan to also enter long track events, forcing her to concentrate on her signature shorter disciplines.
It was a decision she took with her coach and husband Anthony Lobello after spending four years travelling the world to various competitions.
“We understand each other, he understands exactly what I need,” said Fontana. “We do try not to talk about work at home.”
