Ganna chosen to be a torch bearer for the Winter Olympics
Filippo Ganna has been selected for a special honour this winter. The time trial specialist and Olympic track athlete has been chosen to carry the Olympic flame from Greece to Italy as it makes its way to the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
The torch relay began at Olympia on 26th November. Ganna and his fellow bearer, tennis player Jasmine Paolini, will convey the torch from the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens on 4th December to Rome by plane. The flame will burn at the Quirinal Palace for two days before resuming its journey through the host country, finally ending at San Siro in time for the start of the Games on Friday 6th February – running until Sunday 22nd February.
It's not unusual for summer sport athletes to play a role in the torch relay for the Winter Olympics, especially when they've been particularly successful in the own sports. Ganna is a three-time Olympic medalist, having taken team pursuit gold in Tokyo, then ITT silver and team pursuit bronze last summer in Paris, where fellow torch bearer Paolini won doubles gold.
