Brignone leads charge of veteran women as Italy celebrates record Olympic haul

Sunday was the highlight so far of an exceptional Games for Italy, Brignone rightly hailed by fans and fellow athletes after she came back from a broken leg to take a second gold of the Games on the day the nation took its tally to a record 22 medals. At 35, and in near constant pain due to her career-threatening injury suffered last April, this year was probably Brignone's last chance to cap a late-career flourish -- she also won last year's giant slalom world title and the overall World Cup crown.