Italy at the Olympics

Italy has sent athletes to most of the modern Olympic Games held since 1896, outside of not having "officially" participated (as a national delegation) in the 1904 Summer Olympics.[1]

Italy at the
Olympics
IOC codeITA
NOCItalian National Olympic Committee
Websitewww.coni.it (in Italian)
Medals
Ranked 7th
Gold
259
Silver
231
Bronze
269
Total
759
Summer appearances
Winter appearances
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

Italy has taken part in all the Winter Olympic Games, winning 141 medals, and 618 medals at the Summer Olympic Games. Italy has won a total of 259 gold medals which makes them the 6th most successful country in Olympic history, after the USA, the Soviet Union, Germany, Great Britain and France. Italy has the sixth highest medal total of all time with 759. Italy has the third longest medaling streak after Sweden and Finland. Italy has medaled in 40 straight Olympic games, starting with the 1936 Summer Olympics.

The Italian National Olympic Committee was created in 1914 and recognised in 1915. As of 2020, Italy is the most successful nation at fencing in Olympic history.

Hosted Games

Italy has hosted the Games on three occasions, with a fourth occasion is planning for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

GamesHost cityDatesNationsParticipantsEvents
1956 Winter OlympicsCortina d'Ampezzo26 January – 5 February3282124
1960 Summer OlympicsRome25 August – 11 September835,338150
2006 Winter OlympicsTurin10–26 February802,50884
2026 Winter OlympicsMilan-Cortina d'Ampezzo6–22 FebruaryTBDTBDTBD

Medal tables

Flag used from 1896 to 1946

According to the official count of the International Olympic Committee, Italy has won 618 medals at Summer Olympics.[2]

In the Summer Olympic Games, Italy has finished 2nd in 1932, 3rd in 1960, 4th in 1936, and 5th in 1924, 1928, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1980 and 1984. In the Winter Olympic Games, Italy has finished 4th in 1968 and 1994, and 6th in 1952 and 1992.

Italy ranks 1st all-time in fencing, 2nd in cycling, 3rd in luge, 4th in boxing and shooting, 5th in alpine skiing, and 6th in bobsled, cross-country skiing and short track speed skating.


  Host country

  • a Performance of cyclist Frank Bizzoni, who immigrated from Italy to the United States but still was an Italian citizen in 1904, was disputed and not recognized by the International Olympic Committee until the 21st century.[3]

Medals by Winter Games

GamesAthletes  Gold  Silver  BronzeTotalRank
1924 Chamonix230000
1928 St. Moritz130000
1932 Lake Placid120000
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen400000
1948 St. Moritz57100110
1952 Oslo3310126
1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo6512038
1960 Squaw Valley28001114
1964 Innsbruck61013412
1968 Grenoble5240044
1972 Sapporo4422158
1976 Innsbruck58121410
1980 Lake Placid46020213
1984 Sarajevo74200210
1988 Calgary58212510
1992 Albertville107464146
1994 Lillehammer104758204
1998 Nagano1132621010
2002 Salt Lake City112445137
2006 Turin185506119
2010 Vancouver114113516
2014 Sochi113026822
2018 Pyeongchang1223251012
2022 Beijing1182781713
2026 Milan–Cortinafuture event
Total42435614112

Medals by winter sport

  Leading in that sport
SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Alpine skiing14111136
Cross-country skiing9141336
Luge74718
Bobsleigh44412
Short track speed skating36615
Speed skating2147
Snowboarding1225
Curling1001
Skeleton1001
Biathlon0167
Figure skating0022
Nordic combined0011
Totals (12 entries)424356141

Athletes with most appearances

Partecip.AthleteBornEditionPeriod
(age 1st / last)
Sport Tot.
8Piero D'Inzeo19231948/197628 years (25/53) Equestrian0246
Raimondo D'Inzeo19251948/197628 years (23/51) Equestrian1236
Josefa Idem[4]19641984/201228 years (20/48) Canoeing1225
7Giovanni Pellielo19701992/201624 years (22/46) Shooting0314
6Angelo Mazzoni19611980/200020 years (19/39) Fencing2013
Andrea Benelli19601988/200820 years (28/48) Shooting1012
Ilario Di Buò19651984/200820 years (19/43) Archery0202
Marco De Nicolo19762000/202021 years (22/45) Shooting0000
Wilfried Huber19701988/200618 years (18/36) Luge1001
Alessandra Sensini19701992/201220 years (22/42) Sailing1124
Gerda Weissensteiner19691988/200618 years (19/37) Luge & Bobsleigh1012
Armin Zöggeler19741994/201420 years (20/40) Luge2136
Roland Fischnaller19802002/202220 years (22/42) Snowboarding0000
Natalia Valeeva[5]19691992/201220 years (23/43) Archery0000

Notes: the names highlighted in pink indicate that they are female athletes.Notes: the names in bold indicate that they are still active.

Athletes with most medals

The Italian athlete who won the most medals in the history of the Olympic Games, is the fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti.[6]

  Still active
AthleteSportGames Total
Edoardo Mangiarotti Fencing1936194819521956196065213
Arianna Fontana Short track speed skating2006201020142018202224511
Stefania Belmondo Cross country skiing199219941998200223510
Valentina Vezzali Fencing199620002004200820126129
Giulio Gaudini Fencing1928193219363429
Giovanna Trillini Fencing199219962000200420084138
Gustavo Marzi Fencing1928193219362507
Manuela Di Centa Cross country skiing1992199419982237
Nedo Nadi Fencing191219206006
Giuseppe Delfino Fencing19521956196019644206
Armin Zöggeler Luge1994199820022006201020142136
Eugenio Monti Bobsleigh1956196419682226
Raimondo D'Inzeo Equestrian19561960196419721236
Piero D'Inzeo Equestrian19561960196419720246
Oreste Puliti Fencing1920192419284105
Giorgio Zampori Gymnastics1912192019244015
Gabriella Paruzzi Cross country skiing199219941998200220061045
Klaus Dibiasi Diving19641968197219763205
Alberto Tomba Alpine skiing1988199219943205
Antonio Rossi Canoeing19921996200020043115
Giancarlo Cornaggia Fencing1928193219363115
Manlio Di Rosa Fencing19361948195219562215
Carlo Massullo Modern pentathlon1984198819921225
Silvio Fauner Cross country skiing1992199419981225
Franco Menichelli Artistic gymnastics196019641135
Marco Albarello Cross country skiing1992199419981315

Men gold medalist

In this table (sorted by individual totals gold medals), the men who have won gold individual medals at the Olympics (but also at the World Championships).

  Still in activity
AthleteSportBornPeriodIndividualTeamTotal
OlympicsWorld Ch.OlympicsWorld Ch.IndividualTeamIndividual + Team
Tot.
1Gregorio Paltrinieri[7]Swimming19942013-active111853---111964111107522
2Armin ZöggelerLuge19741994–2014213631---02484402486822
3Jury ChechiGymnastics19691989–2004101502------603---6039
4Klaus DibiasiDiving19461964–1976320220---540---5409
5Alberto TombaAlpine skiing19661987–1996320202---522---5229
6Gustav ThöniAlpine skiing19511972–1976120400---520---5207
7Giorgio ZamporiGymnastics18871909–191310141130100251230381514
8Leandro FagginCycling19331956–1968100333100---43310053311
9Vincenzo MaenzaWrestling19621982–1992210210---420---4206
10Edoardo MangiarottiFencing19191936–1960112252540113336416731913739
11Sante GaiardoniCycling19391960–1970200132---332---3328
12Raimondo D'InzeoEquestrian19251955–1972110211013---32101333410
13Andrea BenelliShooting19601981–2006101211732312732104418
Roberto CammarelleBoxing19802004–2012111201---312---3126
15Paolo BettiniCycling19742001–2007100210---310---3104
Zeno ColòAlpine skiing19201950–1952100210---310---3104
17Maurizio DamilanoAthletics19571980–1991102200---302---3025
Ercole BaldiniCycling19331956–1964100202---302---3025
19Silvio MartinelloCycling19631995–200010020100132030132162210
Ennio MattarelliShooting19281961–1973100201---301---3014
21Luciano GiovannettiShooting19451979–19862001003103003106107
22Massimiliano RosolinoSwimming19781998–20071111110010202220212439
23Carlo PavesiFencing19231950–196010012130041022171093113
Daniele MasalaModern pentathlon19551979–198810012111010322121343411
25Mauro NumaFencing19611979–199010011210032221242263411
Paul HildgartnerLuge19521972-19881101021001012122014138
26Aldo MontanoFencing19782002–201210011001204221005426412
27Alberto CovaAthletics19581983–1984100100---200---2002
Athletes in team sports
1Eugenio MontiBobsleigh19281956–1968---2229101132113216
2Carmine AbbagnaleRowing19621981–1993---21074195195115
3Giuseppe AbbagnaleRowing19591981–1993---21073194194114
4Antonio RossiCanoeing19681992–2004---31133164264212
5Agostino StraulinoSailing19141939–1965---1104215315319
6Rossano GaltarossaRowing19721992–2012---11241352552512
7Agostino AbbagnaleRowing19621985–2002---3002205205207

Notes: in Khaki the athletes still in activity. For cycling was considered for world championships, only professional events.

Women gold medalist

The most successful Italian female athletes.

In this table, the women who have won gold individual medals at the Olympics and also at the World Championships.Updated to 16 February 2023.

  Still in activity
#AthleteSportBornPeriodOlympicsWorld Ch.Total
Tot. Tot. Tot.
1Valentina Vezzali[8]Fencing19741994–201631156241293517
2Federica Pellegrini[9]Swimming19882004–201911026311074112
3Josefa Idem[10]Canoeing19641990–2009121459620611724
4Stefania Belmondo[11]Cross-country skiing19691992–20022327441965316
5Deborah CompagnoniAlpine skiing19701992–1998310430036107
6Alessandra SensiniWindsurf19701996–20121124431854312
7Paola Pezzo[12]Mountain bike19691993–2000200220244026
8Arianna Fontana YShort track19902006–202222371651237819
9Giovanna Trillini[13]Fencing19701992–20071124223733511
10Gerda Weissensteiner[14][15]Luge19691993–2006100111242125
11Irene Camber[16]Fencing19261952–1960100110122013
Others notables (at least one gold medal at the Olympics or World Championships and at least one medal in the other competition)
12Deborah GelisioShooting19761993–2007010141054206
13Dorothea Wierer YBiathlon19902014–20220022333933511
14Manuela Di Centa[17][18]Cross-country skiing19641991–1995220402352439
15Fiona May[19]Athletics19691995–2001020221142316
16Isolde KostnerAlpine skiing19751994–2002012321032226
17Antonella BelluttiTrack cycling19681995–2000200202022204
18Federica Brignone YAlpine skiing19902011-2023012312031326
19Carolina Kostner YFigure skating19872002-2018001112361247
20Sofia Goggia YAlpine skiing19922017-2022110201121214
21Chiara Cainero[20] YShooting19782006–2016110201121214
22Sara Simeoni[21][22]Athletics19531976–1984120300001203
23Tania Cagnotto[23]Diving19852004-2016001[24]111571168
24Novella Calligaris[25]Swimming19541968–1973012310231146
25Simona Quadarella YSwimming19982017-2022001111241135
26Antonella Ragno[26]Fencing19401960–1972101201011113
27Dorina VaccaroniFencing19631982-1993001111021113

Summary by sport

Aquatics

Swimming

Italy first competed in swimming at the 1900 Games, with two swimmers in three events winning no medals.

GamesSwimmersEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1900 Paris23/70000
Total551222

Athletics

Italy first competed in athletics in 1900. After 121 years from first participation, Marcell Jacobs became the very first Italian athlete to win a gold medal in Men's 100 metres at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics on 1 August 2021, with a time of 9"80.

GamesAthletesEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1900 Paris23/230000
Total19152660

Cycling

Italy first competed in cycling at the 1900 Games, with Enrico Brusoni winning a gold medal in the points race that year. Italy has the second-most gold medals (behind France) and third-most total medals (behind France and Great Britain) in the sport (as of the 2016 Games).

GamesCyclistsEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1900 Paris72/31001
Total33161059

Equestrian

Italy competed in equestrian at the first Games in which the sport was held, in Paris 1900. Six riders competed, including Italy's first female Olympian (Elvira Guerra). Gian Giorgio Trissino won a gold medal in the high jump and a silver in the long jump.

Overall, Italy has won the eighth-most gold medals and eighth-most total medals in the sport.

GamesRidersEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1900 Paris64/51102
Total79723

Fencing

Italy first competed in fencing at the second edition of the Games in 1900. Italy has won more gold medals (49) and total medals (125) in the sport than any other nation. The nation's first medals were in its first appearance, as Italy's men's master sabreurs took gold and silver in that one-time-only event in 1900. Italy won six consecutive gold medals in the men's individual épée from 1932 to 1960 (including medal sweeps in 1936 and 1956), with a 7th in 2008; no other nation has more than 5 total gold medals (France) in the event.

GamesFencersEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1900 Paris86/71102
Total494333125

Gymnastics

Italy's first gymnastics appearance was when the nation sent one gymnast to the second Games in 1900; Camillo Pavanello finished 28th in the men's all-around, the only event held that Games.

GamesCyclistsEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1900 Paris11/10000
Total145928

Sailing

GamesNo. SailorsEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotalRanking
1896Scheduled but event was not held
190000/130000
1904Not Scheduled
190800/40000
191200/40000
1896Games Cancelled
192000/140000
192482/30000
1928123/30000
193211/40000
1936144/410014
1940Games Cancelled
1944Games Cancelled
1948155/50000
1952145/510013
1956125/501017
1960115/500118
1964104/50000
196884/5002210
1972105/60000
1976126/60000
198063/600119
1984116/700118
1988158/80000
1992149/100000
19961610/10001119
20001811/1111025
20041811/11001115
20081811/11011210
2012118/100000
2016139/100000
202096/1010015=
Total4381513

Shooting

Italy's presence at the first Olympics in 1896 consisted of a single shooter, Giuseppe Rivabella, who entered one event and whose score and rank are unknown. The sport has remained a relatively strong one for Italy, which (after the 2016 Games) ranks fourth on the list of most gold medals in shooting with 16.

GamesShootersEventsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1896 Athens11/50000
Total16151142

See also

Notes and references

External links