Release from 19.02.2026

Daniel Glira on Olympic participation: “It was an incredible experience”

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For the Italian ice hockey national team, the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 ended in the round of 16 against Switzerland. Even though there were no major sporting surprises, the Azzurri proved to be a tough opponent against some of the best nations in the world. The team's potential was particularly evident in their matches against Sweden and Slovakia. Defenseman Daniel Glira of HC Falkensteiner Pustertal looked back on this highlight in an interview with the win2day ICE Hockey League – while already setting his sights back on league play.

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Although Italy didn’t manage a win at the tournament, the experience of competing against world-class players was of huge value for Glira. “It was an incredible experience. Apart from the game against Finland, we delivered really strong performances against teams full of NHL players.”

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on and off the ice
His personal highlight? “Competing with the best players in the world was, of course, something special. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially because this time all the NHL players were taking part. Off the ice, life in the Olympic Village was truly unique – meeting so many top athletes from different nations and sports was incredibly fascinating,” Glira said.

The defenseman described openly how demanding the games against the hockey elite were: “Of course, it was exhausting and challenging, but at the same time very educational. I’m proud of how we presented ourselves.” Despite the early exit, Glira – who played in all four games – takes pride in the team’s performance.

Hoping for a lasting impact
With sold-out arenas and fantastic atmospheres during the games, the question arises whether the Olympic experience can have a lasting effect on Italian hockey. “Ice hockey is a beautiful sport, but unfortunately it still doesn’t get the attention it deserves in Italy. I truly believe that people can be inspired by it and I hope this tournament will help achieve that. Maybe we can carry that momentum forward,” Glira said optimistically.

Back to league action
There’s little time to recover: after the Olympic highlight, Glira and HC Falkensteiner Pustertal are already focused on the decisive phase of the win2day ICE Hockey League season. The next challenge awaits on Friday with a home game against Hydro Fehérvár AV19. “We’ve got an intense schedule coming up over the next seven days. It’s definitely demanding to jump right back in, but we want to prepare ourselves as best as possible for the crucial stretch. We’re eager to quickly get back into our game rhythm.”

Photo: Vanna Antonello