ITALIA

I was just thinking about all the fantasic crazy new Italian gymnasts and decided to do a post about some fabulous Italian gymnasts! They've always had that something different about them, but especially recently, so here we go, a whirldwind tour of Italian gymnastics.


FRANCESCA BENOLLI


2005 European vault champion, and the bronze medalist on the same event at the 2008 Euros, she is most known for her power on vault and her lovely floor routines. They're all lovely, go check them out if you haven't already, go on! Her 2005 routine was so different from everyone else, and balletic and pretty and I could go on for ages but won't. She was the first Italian European champion, so she'll go down in history for that. She has her weaknesses unfortunately, she had, (has she retired, anyone know?), the potential to be a good beam worker but always seemed nervous on that event unfortunately. But she's still wonderful.

MONICA BERGAMELLI

The grandmother of Italian gymnastics has been to three olympics (Sydney, Athens and Beijing) and whilst isn't astounding was a very solid gymnast. She had in the past (around 2002) quite a nice double twisting Yurchenko, and was a member of both Italian teams who took away European medals (2002 - bronze and 2006 - gold). It'll seem quite weird now that she's retired (she has, hasn't she? I don't know anything anymore), as she's been around so long.

VANESSA FERRARI

And where would I be if I didn't include this powerful little lady? A member of the Italian European gold medal team of 2006, she went on to win the world all around of the same year becoming Italy's first ever world medalist, let alone champion. She also took the bronze on bars and floor that year. There seemed no end to her in early 2007, becoming European AA and FX champ, though she always struggled with consistancy. Unfortunately her career is in jeopardy due to her injuries, but she still managed FX silver at Euros this year. I'm not a huge fan of her bars, but her beam and floor are impressive. I was always amazed at how flexible she was in 2006.

LIA PAROLARI

One of the most stylish (I sound like Christine Still :S ) Italian gymnasts ever in my opinion. I think she does the best Memmel on floor, and what she lacks in strength she makes up in her dance moves and her choreography. Her Comaneci on bars is fantastic, thanks to her long legs making in look quite scary, though I disliked the simplicity of her beam dismount at Beijing.

CARLOTTA GIOVANNINI

The other Italian Euros vault champ (2007) and silver medalist on the same event in 2008 (though she should have won considering Chuso fell on her second). Queen of the awful leotards. What did she think she was wearing in the Beijing vault final????? Still aside from that a fabulous gymnast, first Italian to reach an olympic event final. Her bars dismount (double pike arabian) keeps great form throughout as well.

ELISABETA PERSIOZA

I have probably spelt that wrong. Sorry to her if I have. She is one of the great new Italian gymnasts that burst on to the scene at worlds. Her flexibility is great and I love her forward scale, when she get's it a bit smoother it will be a great skill, and very original (I so hope people don't take it and run with it like they did when Nistor started the whole arabesque thing). She's also quite powerful despite her flexibility, I'm hoping she carries on how she's started.

PAOLA GALANTE

Scares me for several reasons. 1. Her flexibility is awesome. I'm loving her 1.5 turn on beam in split. 2. Her inside stalder Tkatchev. It doesn't look like it should work!!! and 3. The leotard she wore in the AA at worlds this year. What was with that? Still she's refreshingly different and I'm looking forward to seeing her career progress.

And finally a little blast from the past, a great though underated gymnast by the name of Patrizia Luconi: