Antonella Palmisano | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Antonella Palmisano (born 6 August 1991) is a highly accomplished Italian racewalker who has achieved significant success on the international stage. A prominent figure in Italian athletics, Palmisano is best known for winning the gold medal in the women's 20 kilometres walk at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Her career is also marked by multiple bronze medals at the World Athletics Championships and a gold medal at the European Athletics Championships. Palmisano's dedication and consistent performance have established her as a role model in her sport, inspiring many through her perseverance and achievements.

2. Early Life and Background

2.1. Birth and Childhood

Antonella Palmisano was born on 6 August 1991, in Mottola, Italy.

2.2. Education

No specific information about Antonella Palmisano's formal education is available in the provided sources.

3. Career

Antonella Palmisano's athletic career has been a journey of consistent development and remarkable achievements in racewalking, spanning from her junior years to becoming an Olympic champion.

3.1. Junior Career

Palmisano began her international career as a junior athlete, quickly establishing herself as a promising talent in racewalking. In 2009, she secured a silver medal in the 10000 metres walk at the 2009 European Athletics Junior Championships in Novi Sad, achieving a personal best time of 46:59.47. The same year, she earned a bronze medal in the junior 10 kilometres walk at the 2009 European Race Walking Cup in Metz, with a season best time of 48:48. Her junior career highlight came in 2010 when she won a gold medal in the 10 kilometres walk junior event at the 2010 IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Chihuahua, finishing in 47:52.

Transitioning to the under-23 category, Palmisano continued her success. She won a silver medal in the 20 kilometres walk at the 2011 European Athletics U23 Championships in Ostrava, recording a time of 1:36:26. In 2013, she added a bronze medal in the 20 kilometres walk at the 2013 European Athletics U23 Championships in Tampere, setting a new personal best of 1:30:59.

3.2. Senior International Career

Palmisano's senior international career saw her rise to the pinnacle of racewalking, culminating in Olympic glory and multiple World and European Championship medals.

3.2.1. Olympic Games

Palmisano has participated in multiple Olympic Games, demonstrating her consistent performance at the highest level. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she finished 4th in the 20 kilometres walk with a time of 1:29:03, narrowly missing a medal. Her most significant achievement came at the 2020 Summer Olympics, held in Sapporo, where she won the gold medal in the 20 kilometres walk event, crossing the finish line in 1:29:12. This victory marked a historic moment for her and Italian athletics.

3.2.2. World Athletics Championships

Palmisano has been a consistent presence at the World Athletics Championships, earning multiple medals. She competed in the 20 kilometres walk at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, finishing 13th with a personal best of 1:30:50. She improved her position at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, placing 5th with a time of 1:29:34. Her breakthrough came at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London, where she secured a bronze medal in the 20 kilometres walk, setting a new personal best of 1:26:36. She continued her success by winning another bronze medal in the 20 kilometres walk at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, recording a season best time of 1:27:26.

3.2.3. European Athletics Championships

Palmisano has also achieved significant success at the European Athletics Championships. In 2014, she competed at the 2014 European Athletics Championships in Zürich, finishing 7th in the 20 kilometres walk with a time of 1:28:43. She earned a bronze medal in the 20 kilometres walk at the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin, finishing in 1:27:30, a season best. Most recently, she won a gold medal at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, completing the 20 kilometres walk in 1:28:08.

3.2.4. European Race Walking Team Championships / World Race Walking Cup

Palmisano has also contributed significantly to Italy's success in team-based racewalking competitions. At the 2017 European Race Walking Cup in Poděbrady, she won the individual 20 kilometres walk with a time of 1:27:57 and also secured a silver medal in the 20 kilometres walk team event. In 2021, at the 2021 European Race Walking Team Championships, also held in Poděbrady, she again won the individual 20 kilometres walk in 1:27:42 and contributed to the team's bronze medal. Her success continued at the 2023 European Race Walking Team Championships in Poděbrady, where she won another individual gold medal in the 20 kilometres walk and a silver medal with the team.

3.3. Competition Record

This section provides a detailed overview of Antonella Palmisano's major international and junior competition results.

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Time	Notes
2009	European Junior Championships	Novi Sad	2nd	10000 m walk	46:59.47	(PB)
2009	European Race Walking Cup	Metz	3rd	10 km walk (junior)	48:48	(SB)
2010	World Race Walking Cup	Chihuahua	1st	10 km walk (junior)	47:52
2011	European U23 Championships	Ostrava	2nd	20 km walk	1:36:26
2013	European U23 Championships	Tampere	3rd	20 km walk	1:30:59	(PB)
2013	World Championships	Moscow	13th	20 km walk	1:30:50	(PB)
2014	European Championships	Zürich	7th	20 km walk	1:28:43
2015	World Championships	Beijing	5th	20 km walk	1:29:34
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro	4th	20 km walk	1:29:03
2017	European Race Walking Cup	Poděbrady	1st	20 km walk	1:27:57
2017	World Championships	London	3rd	20 km walk	1:26:36	(PB)
2018	European Championships	Berlin	3rd	20 km walk	1:27:30	(SB)
2021	European Race Walking Team Championships	Poděbrady	1st	20 km walk	1:27:42
2021	European Race Walking Team Championships	Poděbrady	3rd	Team 20 km	23 pts
2021	Olympic Games	Sapporo	1st	20 km walk	1:29:12
2023	World Championships	Budapest	3rd	20 km walk	1:27:26	(SB)
2024	European Championships	Rome	1st	20 km walk	1:28:08

3.4. National Championships

Antonella Palmisano has won a total of nine national championships at the senior level in Italy.

Italian Athletics Championships
- 10 km walk road: 2014, 2018, 2020 (3 titles)
- 20 km walk road: 2014 (1 title)
Italian Indoor Athletics Championships
- 3000 metres walk: 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 (5 titles)

4. Personal Life

Antonella Palmisano is married to Lorenzo Dessi, who is also an Italian national racewalker and coach. Their shared passion for the sport has created a unique bond, with Dessi also contributing to her athletic journey as her coach.

5. Legacy and Evaluation

Antonella Palmisano stands as one of Italy's most distinguished racewalkers, her career defined by remarkable resilience and a commitment to excellence. Her gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics solidified her status as an elite athlete and a national hero, bringing immense pride to Italy. Beyond her Olympic triumph, her consistent medal-winning performances at the World and European Championships underscore her sustained dominance in the sport. Palmisano's journey, marked by perseverance through numerous competitions and the pursuit of personal bests, serves as a powerful inspiration for aspiring athletes. Her achievements not only elevate her personal legacy but also significantly contribute to the prestige of Italian athletics on the global stage, making her a celebrated figure and a role model for future generations.