(born 14 February 1974) fencer, Olympic gold medallist, politician
Valentina Vezzali is the first fencer in Olympic history to win three Individual Foil gold medals at three consecutive Olympics – Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. She also won fourteen gold medals at the World Fencing Championships, six in individual competitions (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011) and another eight in team competitions (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013), plus four silver medals (two individual, 1994 and 2006, and two with Italian team, in the same years) and three bronze medals (individual, 1995, 1998 and 2012).
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 published two autobiographies: A viso scoperto (“With uncovered face”), written with Caterina Luchetti in 2006, and Io, Valentina Vezzali, written with Betta Carbone in 2012.
On 25 February 2013 she became a member of the Italian Parliament as part of the Scelta Civica party led by Mario Monti.
ayearofwomen 