Biography of Stefania Belmondo

The tenacity and the will to win

January 13, 1969 Stefania Belmondo, Italian champion of noble how strenuous discipline of cross country skiing, was born in Vinadio, Cuneo, on January 13, 1969. Alda's mom, a homemaker, and his father Albino, employee of Enel, they wear the first skiing at the tender age of 3 years. Stefania he spends his childhood in the mountains Cuneo and start skiing just in white snow fields in front of his house. The first sci-remember Stefania-were made of wood, colored red, and built with love by her father, for her and for her sister Manuela. It seems initially (something like what happens for all children) Stefania preferred the sled. He attended elementary and various ski lessons. Of strong character, stubborn and energetic already from childhood Stefania Belmondo is in sport the opportunity to vent his energy. Started to appear in some races and for arirvano positive results. In 1982 he joined the regional team of Piedmont, and in 1986 the national youth. Stefania Belmondo makes its debut in the World Cup races in the 1986/87 season, a time when if an Italian athlete came in the top 30 positions one could speak of an exceptional event. The following season to join the team. At the beginning of 1988 wins her first medals at the World Junior Championships: second in the 5 km and third in the relay. Thanks to his results the young Belmondo is called as a reserve at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada in 1988: due to the injury of another athlete participates in four races. If anyone still had not noticed, in the season 1988/89 the name of Stefania Belmondo begins to be talked about: visit senior worlds in Lahti (Finland) and finished tenth and eleventh; WINS two gold medals at the Junior World Championships (first Italian woman to win a gold at a premiere); He won three Italian titles. In 1989 he wins his first World Cup race in Salt Lake City (USA, first Italian woman to win a World Cup race) and exits the World Cup in second place. The string of hits began in 1990/91 season and seems unstoppable: win some World Cup races at the World Championships 1991 in Val di Fiemme gets a bronze in the 15 km (his first individual medal) and a silver in the relay. The following season the podium steadily and the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville (plus a fifth in the 15 km, a quarter in 5 km, a second in the 10 km one-third in the relay) gets the long awaited gold, in the last test of the grueling 30 km (first Italian woman to win an Olympic gold medal). Tireless, concludes the World Cup final in second place. Since 1992 Stefania joined the State Forestry Corps. In 1993 he participates in his second absolute World and wins two golds in the 30 km individual 10 and. In April of the same year undergoes a Bunion surgery of his right foot. I will begin by Stefania Belmondo a long Calvary long four years. After a second operation, in February 1994 Lillehammer Olympics in Norway for flies. The protagonist will be another great Queen of Italian background, Manuela Di Centa, whose rivalry with Stefania gave much food to sportswriters. Manuela Di Centa takes home two gold medals, two silver and one bronze medal. Stefania Belmondo wins two bronze medals: consider post operative performance the doctor advises her to stop, but the stubbornness of Stefania prevails. The great results which was abitutata do not come more but Stefania spring. Back to big during the season 1996/97 and after so many years wins again in classic technique, in which the foot operated causes many problems. Join the World's fourth overall and won four silver medals, all behind the strong Russian V. In a race is only one centimeter behind Stefania! Then in 1988 is the time of the Olympics in Nagano in Japan: comes third in the relay and second in the 30 km. The next is another exciting season filled with many podiums and crowned with two golds at the World Championships in Austria, plus a silver in the relay. The last season of 2001/02 Stefania Belmondo is: a 10 years after the previous one, wins an Olympic gold and silver in suffered 30 km. Third place in the Cup final. Stefania Belmondo was throughout his career an athlete of extraordinary tenacity, who embodied in a unique way the spirit of discipline was champion. His face conveyed the toil and effort so strong, just as much as his smile conveyed the joy of victory to cut the finish line. Today Stefania is a happy mom (his son Mathias was born in 2003), is committed to the social level, remains part of the State Forestry Corps and works closely with the Sports Federation of winter sports. In 2003 he released his book "faster than Eagles my dreams." His last great sporting achievement was to hold the prestigious role of last female torch bearer in the opening ceremony of the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics; for the lighting of the Olympic cauldron Stefania Belmondo was worth an emotion as large as that of Olympic gold victory.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.