Maurizio Carnino

A specialist in the shorter distances, Maurizio Carnino was long a dependable member of the Italian relay team. As an 18-year-old, he claimed the Olympic gold along with Orazio Fagone, Hugo Herrnhof and Mirko Vuillermin at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. Eight years later, the Italian team claimed a silver, with being Carnino the only skater from 1994 still on the team. Furthermore, Carnino helped the Italians win the relay at four European Championships (1999-2001, 2004) and the 1996 World Championships. He also helped Italy win a bronze medal at the World Team Championships four times (1994, 1997, 1998, 2000). His best individual result was a 3rd place in a 2002 World Cup over 500 m. With the 2006 Olympics being held in his native Torino, Carnino decided to switch to long track skating. He placed second behind Ermanno Ioriatti at the 2005 and 2006 national sprint championships, and qualified for the Olympics, where he placed in the lower half of the field in both 500 and 1,000 m.