The 16-year-old trailed Russian Oleg Domichek, the men's individual champion, by over 25 seconds after the final exchange, but fought back to guide Italy to the Winter Youth Olympic title.

Barale, Martina Trabucchi, Linda Zingerle and Nicolo Betemps recorded an overall time of 1 hr 10min 55.3sec.

The Russian team, which also included double Lausanne 2020 gold medallist Alena Mokhova, Anastasiia Zenova and Denis Irodov, were second in 1:11:39.0.

Fany Bertrand, Leonie Jeannier, Theo Guiraud-Poillot and Mathieu Garcia of France took bronze in 1:12.23.9.

"I don't remember anything of the last shoot," Barale, a silver medallist in the single mixed relay, said. 

"I was a little bit nervous, but I thought we have a medal already and I felt relaxed, and I shot good. 

"I was thinking we've won so I was very happy."

Domichek endured a disastrous shooting section of the relay and was forced to ski the penalty loop, ending his team's chances of securing the gold medal.

"I just thought I didn't have a chance," he said.

Russia finished top of the biathlon standings at Lausanne 2020 with three golds and three silvers.