What to Know
If there’s one thing a toddler is going to do, it’s act like a toddler. They’re so cute, but they’re also chaotic and exhausting. Any toddler parent will tell you that they love their kid; they may also wish that their kid was chill sometimes. As frustrating as their behavior can be, toddler parents also know that most of it is age appropriate. Italian speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida recently won her first Olympic gold medal. Despite her big moment, her toddler stole the show, but it seems that the mom was happy to share the spotlight.
The day was a special one for multiple reasons.
Lollobrigida competed in the women’s 3000 meters on February 7, 2026, which also happened to be her 35th birthday, according to 7 News. At the end of her race, she emerged victorious, winning the host country their first gold of the games. It was also Italy’s first gold in women’s speedskating ever.
She won both silver and bronze in the Beijing 2022 Olympics. Between the two Olympic Games, Lollobrigidia gave birth to her son Tommaso.
Even though it wasn’t easy, Francesca Lollobrigida didn’t have to compromise her sport for her family.
“The Olympics are in Italy, my family is here, and I did not have to choose between skating and being a mum,” she said.
“I came back after giving birth, and I am proud of that,” she continued. “I am realistic. With the season I had, I thought I was fighting for bronze. But I just kept smiling and gave everything. The Italians were screaming ‘lo lo lo lo’ and I felt stronger in my heart and in my head. It gave me real power.”
✅ Gold medal
— Milano Cortina 2026 (@milanocortina26) February 7, 2026
✅ Olympic record
✅ Italy's first-ever gold in Women’s Speed Skating
✅ Italy's first gold medal at Milano Cortina 2026
✅ Olympic gold on her birthday
History made.
GRAZIE, Francesca Lollobrigida 🇮🇹 #MilanoCortina2026 #Olympics #SpeedSkating pic.twitter.com/XnWV9mHcQn
Tommaso was on hand to help mom celebrate.
Lollobrigida didn’t want to exclude Tommaso from her celebration, stopping to pose for pictures with him and her gold medal.
The toddler even joined his mom for interviews, which quickly went viral for his very toddler-like behavior. In the video, which was shared on Reddit, the little guy was on his mom’s hip while she spoke with a reporter. Tommaso was completely disinterested in letting his mom talk — he was grabbing her face to get her attention and slapping away the microphone in an attempt to get the reporter to go away.
Francesca Lollobrigida didn’t even bat an eyelash and simply continued on with her interview.
Many people praised her for sharing her special moment with her son.
One commenter said Lollobrigida made a “deliberate choice” by having her son with her during the interview. “It’s extra special for a woman to do what she did, while also being a mother to a young child. Not that long ago, motherhood meant the end of your Olympic career. Lollobrigida has spoken out about wanting to show others that you can be a mother and a gold medal winning Olympian at the same time,” they continued. “Her child being there wasn’t a distraction, it underlined the accomplishment of her goal.”
“To have her baby there with her in the post win interview is a big deal,” another comment read. “As someone who grew up in the 90s, this was unheard of. Motherhood and ambition have always been portrayed as antagonistic. This? This is a celebration. I cannot tell you how I feel watching this interview of a top-tier athlete with a gold medal on her neck and a child on her hip. It makes me feel hopeful.”
“I’m child free by choice and I find this cute? I’m floored by people surprised that a 3 year old is…acting 3. It’s like when people were flipping out over Riley Curry acting every bit of 2 in pressers with her dad. Kids just don’t care what the moment is lol. She wanted her son there and I love that she is having the moment with the person she loves most,” another person wrote.
