Antonella PALMISANO

She won the bronze medal in the 20km race at the World Championships in London. This was the first major world championship medal of her career and a result that cemented her place among the world’s best in the discipline.

The landmark year: at the Tokyo Olympics, the athlete from the Sports Division of the Italian Finance Police (known as the ‘Fiamme Gialle’) won the gold in the 20 km race walk, making history for Italian athletics. In the same period, she also set the Italian record for the distance, confirming her exceptional form.

At the European Championships in Rome, she dominated the 20km race walk in front of the home crowd, winning the European gold medal. It was one of the most thrilling moments in her career, adding to an already impressive list of achievements.

At the Tokyo World Championships, she won the silver in the 35 km race walk. Waiting for her at the finish line was the winner, her friend and rival María Pérez, who supported her off the track as she was overcome by cramp: their embrace became a symbol of camaraderie and sporting solidarity.