CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy -- With the Winter Olympics just a year away, the countdown holds special significance for one Italian athlete. Giacomo Colli, a curling hopeful, dreams of making his country's team and competing in the same historic rink where the Olympic flame burned brightly 70 years ago -- a flame his grandfather helped light by running in the torch relay.
Cortina's Olympic Ice Stadium was home to the 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics opening ceremony. The 12-thousand-seat stadium was roof-less and fans got to experience the last ever open-air figure skating events and ice hockey matches in Olympic Games history. Since 1956, the stadium has undergone multiple renovations to keep it in line with world-class standards. A roof was added in 2003 but the original wooden stands remain as a relic of the past.
Next year, Stadio Olimpico will once again host Olympic events during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, playing host to curling.
Colli, who grew up in Cortina, has skated at the Olympic ice rink countless times. The selection of Cortina by the International Olympic Committee to host the 2026 Winter Games was a momentous occasion for him.
"I was here with my teammates and said, 'Guys, the Olympics are coming back to Cortina. We have to do something. We have to work for that and aim for that,'" Colli said.
Colli's connection to the Olympics runs deep. His grandfather carried the torch for the 1956 Winter Olympics, and the cauldron from those Games still stands at the Cortina rink. Colli's brother, a professional hockey player on the Italian national team, adds to the family's Olympic legacy.
"It will be great having him play hockey, me playing curling, and the grandfather carrying the torch once again," Colli said.
Working with Cortina's Olympic organizing committee is an honor for Colli, but his ultimate goal is to be on Italy's Olympic Curling team.
"I'm crossing my fingers. You cannot see, but I'm hoping it happens," he said.
Colli will find out in the next few months if he will make the Italian curling team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
KSL is spending the week in Italy getting an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the venues for the Games, the final countdown to the Opening Ceremony. Follow Alex Cabrero as he brings you a sneak peek on KSL TV, KSLTV.com and on Facebook and Instagram.