Team Italy - Profile

Highlights:

Italy has missed only one Olympic Games since its first appearance in 1896 in Athens, where shooter Giuseppe Rivabella was the NOC's sole representative. Italy's first gold medals came at the 1900 Games in Paris, with equestrian Giangiorgio Trissino, fencer Antonio Conte, and track cyclist Enrico Brusoni all securing Olympic titles. Conte's victory in the sabre competition in 1900 was the start of a rich tradition in fencing for Italian athletes at the Games. No other NOC has won more Olympic medals in the sport than Italy.

Italy's six most successful Olympians are fencers. Edoardo Mangiarotti claimed an overall haul of 13 medals in epee and foil, which includes six gold, at the Games between 1936 and 1960. He had most success in team epee, winning four gold and one silver over five editions of the Games. He also won one gold in individual epee in 1952, and another gold in the men's team foil competition in 1956. Valentina Vezzali's total of six gold, one silver and two bronze in fencing make her Italy's second-most successful athlete overall, and most decorated female competitor. After claiming silver in individual foil at the 1996 Games, she went on to win three consecutive gold medals in the event between 2000 and 2008, before taking bronze at London 2012. She also won three Olympic titles in team foil. Other notable Italian fencers include the Nadi brothers, who won eight gold medals between them at the 1920 Games in Antwerp. Older sibling Nedo claimed a total of five gold medals across all three disciplines of the sport, while younger brother Aldo won gold in all three team events.

In terms of gold medals, track cycling is Italy's second most productive Olympic sport. Sante Gaiardoni is one of only four Italian track cyclists to have won two Olympic gold medals, and he claimed both of his in 1960 in Rome. Sergio Bianchetto was another Italian track cyclist to win gold in 1960, triumphing in the men's tandem with Giuseppe Beghetto, and Bianchetto went on to secure his second Olympic tandem gold with Angelo Damiano four years later in Tokyo. Italian road cyclists also won gold in the team time trial at their home Games in 1960 to help the hosts finish the Games with a total of 36 medals [13 gold, 10 silver, 13 bronze], which is a joint-record for the NOC at a single edition of the Games.

Other notable Italian athletes include artistic gymnast Giorgio Zampori, who won three consecutive Olympic titles in the men's team all-around competition between 1912 and 1924, as well as gold in the individual all-around at Antwerp 1920. Race walker Ugo Frigerio is Italy's most decorated competitor in athletics. He secured gold in the 3000m and 10,000m events in 1920, and then successfully defended his 10,000m title at the 1924 Games in Paris. Diver Klaus Dibiasi claimed three consecutive gold medals in the men's 10m platform from 1968 to 1976, while rower Agostino Abbagnale won three gold medals in sculls events between 1988 and 2000.

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Anthem Title: Il Canto degli Italiani [The Song of the Italians]

Anthem Composer: Words by Goffredo Mameli, music by Michele Novaro.

Anthem Inducted: 2005

Official NOC Name: Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano

Founding Date: 1908

IOC Recognition Date: 1915

Delegation President: Giovanni Malago

Delegation Secretary General: Carlo Mornati

IOC Members: Franco Carraro [entry in the IOC: 1982], Giovanni Malago [entry in the IOC: 2019], Ivo Ferriani [entry in the IOC: 2016], Manuela Di Centa [entry in the IOC:1999], Ottavio Cinquanta [entry in the IOC:1996], Mario Pescante [entry in the IOC:1994]

First OG/PG Appearance: 1896

Number OG/PG Appearances: 28 [Tokyo 2020 included]

Summary: