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Valentina Vezzali
Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
In office 19 March 2013 – 22 March 2018
Personal details
Born	(1974-02-14) 14 February 1974 (age 50) Iesi, Marche, Italy
Political party	Civic Choice (2013–17) Independent (2017–22) Forza Italia (2022–present)
Spouse	Domenico Giugliano
Children	2
Profession	Agent of the Polizia di Stato
Fencing career
Full name	Maria Valentina Vezzali
Nickname(s)	Cobra
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	53 kg (117 lb)
Country	Italy
Weapon	Foil
Hand	right-handed
National coach	Andrea Cipressa
Club	G.S. Fiamme Oro
FIE ranking	rankings
Medal record Women's fencing Representing  Italy Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 6 1 2 World Championships 16 6 4 European Championships 13 4 3 Universiade 5 3 0 Mediterranean Games 2 0 0 Total (65) 42 14 9 Olympic Games 1996 Atlanta Foil team 2000 Sydney Foil individual 2000 Sydney Foil team 2004 Athens Foil individual 2008 Beijing Foil individual 2012 London Foil team 1996 Atlanta Foil individual 2008 Beijing Foil team 2012 London Foil individual World Championships 1995 The Hague Foil team 1997 Cape Town Foil team 1998 Le Chaux-de-Fonds Foil team 1999 Seoul Foil individual 2001 Nimes Foil individual 2001 Nimes Foil team 2003 Havana Foil individual 2004 New York Foil team 2005 Leipzig Foil individual 2007 St. Petersburg Foil individual 2009 Antalya Foil team 2010 Paris Foil team 2011 Catania Foil individual 2013 Budapest Foil team 2014 Kazan Foil team 2015 Moscow Foil team 1994 Athens Foil individual 1994 Athens Foil team 2006 Turin Foil individual 2006 Turin Foil team 2011 Catania Foil team 2016 Rio de Janeiro Foil team 1995 The Hague Foil individual 1998 Le Chaux-de-Fonds Foil individual 2010 Paris Foil individual 2014 Kazan Foil individual European Championships 13 (5 individual) 4 (3 individual) 3 (2 individual) Universiade 5 (4 individual) 3 (0 individual) 0 (0 individual) Mediterranean Games 2001 Tunis Foil individual 2009 Pescara Foil individual

Maria Valentina Vezzali (Italian pronunciation: [valenˈtiːna vetˈtsaːli]; born 14 February 1974) is an Italian politician and retired Olympic and World Champion foil fencer. As a fencer, Vezzali won six Olympic gold medals and was a 16-time World Champion in foil. She is one of only five athletes in the history of the Summer Olympic Games to have won five medals in the same individual event.

In 2013, Vezzali became a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies as part of the Civic Choice party. In 2021, she became Italy's cabinet undersecretary in charge of sports.

Fencing

As a child, she was first trained in fencing by her father, and then by the sword master Ezio Triccoli.

Vezzali was the first fencer in Olympic history to win three individual foil gold medals at three consecutive Olympics – Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Vezzali won nine Olympic medals in all: five in individual foil (three gold, one silver, one bronze) and four in team foil (three gold, one bronze). She medaled in all five of her Olympic appearances from 1996 to 2012; she attempted to qualify for Rio 2016 at the age of 41, but did not gain enough points. Vezzali has the fourth-most Olympic medals (9) of any Italian athlete and the most of any female summer Olympian from Italy, behind fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti (13), short-track speed skater Arianna Fontana (11) and cross-country skier Stefania Belmondo (10).

She also won sixteen gold medals at the World Fencing Championships, six in individual competitions (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011) and another ten in team competitions (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015), plus six silver medals (two individual, 1994 and 2006, and four with Italian team, in 1994, 2006, 2011, 2016) and four bronze medals (individual, 1995, 1998, 2012 and 2014).

In European championships, she won nine gold medals (individual: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2009, 2010; team: 1999, 2001, 2009, 2010), three silver medals (individual: 2003, 2007; team: 2007), two bronze medals (individual: 1993; team: 1998).

She was the official flag bearer of the 2012 Italy Olympic team in London.

In 2016, she came second at the Rio finals, failing to qualify for the next Olympics. She announced her retirement from fencing.

Political career

Vezzali was a member of the Italian Parliament in the XVIIth Legislatura between 2013 and 2018. She was originally a member of the Civic Choice party led by Mario Monti. In 2021, she was named cabinet undersecretary in charge of sports for Italy. On 27 July 2022, Vezzali joined Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI).

Prize List

Event	Individual	Team	Total
Olympics	3	1	1	3	0	1	6	1	2
World Championships	6	2	4	10	4	0	16	6	4
European Championships	5	3	2	8	1	2	13	4	3
Total	14	6	7	21	5	3	35	11	9

Fencing World Cup

• Foil (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010)

Achievements

Olympic Games

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event
1996	Olympic Games	Atlanta	2nd	Foil individual
			1st	Foil Team
2000	Olympic Games	Sydney	1st	Foil individual
			1st	Foil Team
2004	Olympic Games	Athens	1st	Foil individual
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing	1st	Foil individual
			3rd	Foil Team
2012	Olympic Games	London	3rd	Foil individual
			1st	Foil Team

World Championships

Season	Competition	Venue	Position	Event
1993	World Fencing Championships	Essen	6th	Foil individual
1994	World Fencing Championships	Athens	2nd	Foil individual
			2nd	Team Foil
1995	World Fencing Championships	The Hague	3rd	Foil individual
			1st	Team Foil
1997	World Fencing Championships	Cape Town	1st	Team Foil
1998	World Fencing Championships	La Chaux-de-Fonds	3rd	Foil individual
			1st	Team Foil
1999	World Fencing Championships	Seoul	1st	Foil individual
2001	World Fencing Championships	Nimes	1st	Foil individual
			1st	Team Foil
2003	World Fencing Championships	Havana	1st	Foil individual
2004	World Fencing Championships	New York	1st	Team Foil
2005	World Fencing Championships	Leipzig	1st	Foil individual
2006	World Fencing Championships	Turin	2nd	Foil individual
			2nd	Team Foil
2007	World Fencing Championships	Saint Petersburg	1st	Foil individual
2009	World Fencing Championships	Antalya	5th	Foil individual
			1st	Team Foil
2010	World Fencing Championships	Paris	3rd	Foil individual
			1st	Team Foil
2011	World Fencing Championships	Catania	1st	Foil individual
			2nd	Team Foil
2013	World Fencing Championships	Budapest	1st	Team Foil
2014	World Fencing Championships	Kazan	1st	Team Foil
			3rd	Foil individual
2015	World Fencing Championships	Moscow	1st	Team Foil
2016	World Fencing Championships	Rio de Janeiro	2nd	Team Foil

Honors

•  Italy: Grande Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Italian for: Grand Officer Order of Merit of the Italian Republic), 1 September 2008.

Publications

• Vezzali, Valentina; Luchetti, Caterina (2006). A viso scoperto [With uncovered face] (in Italian). Dalai Editore. ISBN 978-8866203551.
• Vezzali, Valentina; Carbone, Betta (2012). Io, Valentina Vezzali (in Italian). Milan: Dalai Editore. ISBN 978-88-6620-355-1.

Personal life

She married Italian football player Domenico Giugliano and has two sons: Pietro, born on 9 June 2005, and Andrea, born on 16 May 2013. Vezzali is Catholic.

See also

• Walk of Fame of Italian sport
• Multiple Olympic medalists | Multiple Olympic gold medalists | Multiple Summer Olympic medalists | Multiple Olympic medalists in one event

Further reading

• Marabini, Paolo (2022). Valentina Vezzali, la regine de Fioretto. Bolis Edizione. ISBN 9788878275201.

References

1. ^ "Profile of Valentina Vezzali". The official website of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
2. "Olympics Statistics: Valentina Vezzali". databaseolympics.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
3. "Valentina Vezzali Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
4. ^ Kefi, Ramsès. "Valentina Vezzali, l'adieu aux lames". Libération (in French). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
5. "Fencing great Valentina Vezzali fails to qualify for Rio 2016". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. Associated Press. 28 November 2015.
6. Zara, Furio (14 February 2024). "Valentina Vezzali, cinquant'anni da regina del fioretto". Vanity Fair Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
7. "XVII Legislatura - XVII Legislatura - Deputati e Organi - Scheda deputato - VEZZALI Maria Valentina". www.camera.it (in Italian).
8. "Olympic champion Vezzali to oversee sports in Italy". AP NEWS. 12 March 2021.
9. Vezzali entra in Forza Italia: "Pronta a contribuire con la mia esperienza", Corriere della Sera
10. (in Italian) Grande Ufficiale Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana Sig.ra Valentina Vezzali. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
11. Harkins, Craig (15 July 2005). "Interview: Valentina Vezzali". fencing.net. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
12. Staff (22 July 2013). "Fencing, Vezzali to take part in World Championships less than 3 months after giving birth". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
13. "Being a mother is the greatest privilege of all". 19 December 2012.
14. Giordano, Lucio (9 August 2024). "Credo nel Signore e nella Sua misericordia, ma da separata non mi sono sentita una buona cristiana". Dipiù (in Italian). No. 31. pp. 74–77.

External links

• Valentina Vezzali at the International Fencing Federation
• Valentina Vezzali at the European Fencing Confederation
• Valentina Vezzali at the Italian Fencing Federation (archived)
• Valentina Vezzali at Olympedia (archive)
• Valentina Vezzali at Olympics.com
• Valentina Vezzali at the Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (in Italian)
• Official website (archived)

Awards
Preceded byStefania Belmondo Stefania Belmondo Vanessa Ferrari	Italian Sportswoman of the Year 2000–2001 2003–2005 2007	Succeeded byStefania Belmondo Vanessa Ferrari Federica Pellegrini
Summer Olympics
Preceded byAntonio Rossi	Flag bearer for Italy London 2012	Succeeded byFederica Pellegrini

• 1974 births
• Living people
• People from Jesi
• Civic Choice politicians
• Deputies of Legislature XVII of Italy
• 21st-century Italian women politicians
• Italian Roman Catholics
• Italian female fencers
• Olympic fencers for Italy
• Fencers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
• Fencers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
• Fencers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
• Fencers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Fencers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
• Olympic gold medalists for Italy
• Olympic silver medalists for Italy
• Olympic bronze medalists for Italy
• Olympic medalists in fencing
• Fencers of Fiamme Oro
• Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
• Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
• Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
• Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
• Summer World University Games medalists in fencing
• Mediterranean Games gold medalists for Italy
• Mediterranean Games medalists in fencing
• Fencers at the 2001 Mediterranean Games
• Fencers at the 2009 Mediterranean Games
• FISU World University Games gold medalists for Italy
• FISU World University Games silver medalists for Italy
• Medalists at the 1995 Summer Universiade
• Medalists at the 1997 Summer Universiade
• Medalists at the 1999 Summer Universiade
• Medalists at the 2001 Summer Universiade
• Sportspeople from the Province of Ancona
• Women members of the Chamber of Deputies (Italy)