After an extended stay outside of the top 10, Italy has returned to medal counting prominence!

Italy's top 10 placing in the medal standings is truly a great accomplishment that can be counted alongside the Sistine Chapel, the distinct boot shape of the country itself, and Renaissance artist Donatello.

After a weekend that saw Team GB skyrocket up the medal standings, they now stand in third place behind China and Team USA.

Italy snuck into 6th place after taking team fencing gold today, making for a great accomplishment to go along with the Ferrari, the Pantheon in Rome, and the 2006 World Cup Champion Azzurri.

For the first time in this Olympiad, Team USA has taken the lead in the medal count. With Track & Field getting started there's a good chance we could see this lead expanding.

Today's Italian history lesson is going to have us console the people of the bustling Mediterranean peninsula about their medal count with the knowledge that they were the cultural center of the Western World for the better part of the 13th-16th centuries.

And let's not forget the Holy Roman Empire, the Duomo in Florence and Leaning Tower of Pisa. Good on you, Italians!

Russia held out as long as she could in the gold medal team foil final against Italy's Valentina Vezzali. The crowd's chants of 'Forza Italia!' rallied her to victory from the start of the match as she and teammates Elisa Di Francisca and Arianna Errigo held tight control over team Russia.

Hopefully now that Italy won another gold other certain staff members of Roflympics can quit it with the Italy jokes in the daily Medal Round-Up. Not that I'm naming names or anything.

As the day draws to a close, China holds a healthy lead of five golds in front of Team USA, while Italy continues its freefall following their strong start last weekend. Don't feel bad Italians, you can always take solace in your super cool sports cars, Renaissance painters, and five-time Academy Award winning director Federico Fellini.

With day two coming to a close, the medal count is in! The Italians now drop to third behind Team USA, while China reigns supreme once again. Asia continues to dominate everyone everywhere in everything, as China, South Korea, and Japan combine for 22 total medals.

In a nailbiting final round, the Italians upended a U.S. team fresh off an upset of defending champ South Korea. With one arrow to go and down by nine, Italy's final archer grazed the center circle, scoring the ten points necessary to give his team the gold medal by a score of 219-218.

This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Italians are skilled in something besides delicious food, long-lasting empires, and having the pope. Congratulations Italy!