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Bitter luge, Verena Hofer and Sandra Robatscher at the foot of the podium

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Julia Taubitz gave Germany the gold medal in women’s luge for the eighth consecutive Winter Olympics, edging out Latvia’s Elina Bota and the U.S.’s Ashley Farquharson. Italian nationals Verena Hofer and Sandra Robatscher finished at the foot of the podium, mocked by a few thousandths: 63 for Hofer, 150 for Robatscher.

Andrea GussoniMilan Cortina, social media on edge after Pietro Sighel’s exultation. Photo

Social on tilt after Pietro Sighel's exultation
The champion decided to cross the finish line of the mixed short track relay in this way
Once certain of the gold medal, Sighel turned toward his rivals to look them in the face

As was easily predictable, Sighel's exultation sparked great controversy
Many users on social have criticized the champion by calling him unsportsmanlike and a blowhard
"I wanted to try to close in an epic way for the home crowd" pointed out Pietro Sighel

"We had the time to do it, I tried to control and then turn around to spruce up the audience a bit"

"I didn’t want to disrespect the opponents, absolutely: it was more to leave a mark on the home crowd" told Eurosport
Petro Sighel’s justifications did not appease the many fans who continued to insult him on social networks

As often happens, many of the insults come from users who do not have a real name as a username
Most often the accounts that post the harshest messages have fancy names and photos…
L'Italy, however, won the gold medal by finishing ahead of Canada, Belgium and China

Germany has not been off the top step of the podium since 1994 in this specialty. After Gerda Weissensteiner’s success in Lillehammer, the German domination is unbroken and continues now in the sign of Taubitz, who was able to take the lead at the end of the first day and keep it until the end, also taking advantage of the mistake of compatriot Merle Fräbel, who slipped to the back. Taubitz ended the four runs on the Eugenio Monti track with a total time of 3’30″625, inflicting a 0″918 gap on Bota. The second day of competition, however, allowed Farquharson to secure bronze, 0″957 behind the winner.

Just behind them were Hofer (+1″020) and Robatscher (+1″107), who by a whisker missed Italy’s goal of returning to the Olympic podium in the women’s singles, 32 years after Weissensteiner’s feat. Behind the Italian women, sixth place went to Germany’s Berreiter (+1″385), followed by Austria’s Schulte (+1″437), with Fräbel (+1″547) completing the top 8.

Tomorrow the Cortina Sliding Center will return to offer blue hopes with the doubles competitions: Andrea Vötter/Marion Oberhofer in the women’s, Ivan Nagler/Fabian Malleier and Emanuel Rieder/Simon Kainzwaldner in the men’s.

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