The ceremony hasn't finished but we already have storylines for the next fortnight.
Zlatan lights the mood, Tomba lights the flame. Ibrahimoviฤ, 44, delivered a typically Zlatan address: "Why be normal when you can be the best?" But the real spectacle was President Mattarella's entrance by vintage Milanese tram โ driven by MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi. The surprise was spoiled by RAI's Alessandro Bulbarelli, who was promptly benched from the broadcast. At San Siro, Alberto Tomba lit the Milan cauldron while Deborah Compagnoni simultaneously ignited Cortina's โ two Italian skiing legends, 130km apart, flames burning in unison.
Vonn's ACL holds โ for now. The 41-year-old American completed today's downhill training run at Cortina, her first real test since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament nine days ago. She was cautious, finishing well off the pace, but the knee didn't give out. Austrian doctors quoted in Kronen Zeitung remain alarmed: racing a complete ACL tear with a partial titanium knee replacement has never been attempted at elite level. Sunday's race will be unprecedented either way.
Britain's curlers continue their charge. Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds won all three of their matches today โ beating Sweden, South Korea, and (most satisfyingly) world champions USA. They're now 5-0 in mixed doubles and heavy favourites for at least a medal. Snoop Dogg, in Cortina as NBC's celebrity correspondent, tried his hand at curling and declared himself "ready for Team USA."
No punishment for Kenworthy. American freeskier Gus Kenworthy's graphic protest against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) โ displaying a pointed message during training โ will not result in sanctions, the IOC confirmed. The openly gay athlete, who competed for Britain in 2022, has been vocal about US deportation policies.