ANTERSELVA, ITALY – Lisa Vittozzi gave Italian fans a historic moment on Sunday, winning the women’s 10km pursuit race at the Milano Cortina Games. The Italian biathlete kept her composure, shooting clean and capturing an Olympic gold medal in her country’s biathlon heartland.

Fans arrived at the arena early, braving below-freezing temperatures to cheer Vittozzi on. Their support continued through the medal ceremony and even as she completed her media duties an hour after the race.

“I did a perfect race, and I’m really proud of how I handled the pressure,” Vittozzi said. “Today, I stayed calm, focused on myself and my skills, and I did it. This is a day I will never forget.”

Vittozzi faced a tense showdown against Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide during the final shooting. While Kirkeeide missed twice, Vittozzi hit all her targets and pulled away on the last lap. She initially thought Kirkeeide had missed only once.

“I only saw that I shot clean, and the fans were cheering for me. I was smiling after the shooting and thought she missed once, but when I realized she missed twice, it was even more emotional,” she said.

Kirkeeide recovered to take silver, with Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen earning bronze. Vittozzi, who had struggled over the past year, timed her return to form perfectly, cementing her place in Olympic history.

“I never stopped believing in myself,” she said. “All the difficult times were worth it. I’m proud I never gave up, even after a tough summer. I knew I had a chance to become Olympic champion.”

-Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Christian Radnedge/Reuters