Italy's Brignone to race at Milano Cortina - Olympic official

Italian Alpine ski champion Federica Brignone will compete at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, the head of Italy's Olympic committee said on Friday, adding that the athlete would be one of the four Italian flagbearers at the Games.

Brignone, the World Cup overall champion, was back on the slopes in November, seven months after sustaining a double leg fracture at the Italian championships, which had cast doubts over her participation at the home Games.

"Federica Brignone this morning told me that, based on latest tests, she will compete," Luciano Buonfiglio, the head of the Italian Olympic Committee, said during a press briefing.

The 35-year-old skier has never won an Olympic gold and said in October it would be her dream to compete at the Winter Games, which will run from 6 to 22 February.

Regarding being named as one of the flagbearers, Brignone said in a statement issued by the Italian Winter Sport Federation: "It's a dream come true. Since the day of the injury, it has been my motivation to fight and get back up”.