Fiona May

3.1. Early Career (Representing Great Britain)

May began her competitive career representing Great Britain. Her early achievements included an eighth-place finish at the World Junior Championships in Athens, Greece, in 1986, with a jump of 20 ft ^{(6.11 m)}. The following year, in 1987, she secured a gold medal at the European Junior Championships held in Birmingham, United Kingdom, with a wind-assisted jump of 22 ft ^{(6.64 m)}. In 1988, she again won gold at the World Junior Championships in Sudbury, Canada, recording a wind-assisted jump of 23 ft ^{(6.88 m)}. That same year, she made her Olympic debut at the Seoul Olympics, finishing in sixth place with a jump of 22 ft ^{(6.62 m)}.

Continuing her representation for Great Britain, May earned a bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, with a jump of 21 ft ^{(6.55 m)}. She placed seventh at the European Championships in Split, Yugoslavia, in 1990, with a jump of 22 ft ^{(6.77 m)}. In 1991, she participated in the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she finished 19th in the qualification round with 21 ft ^{(6.54 m)}. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, she recorded no mark (NM). Her final major competition representing Great Britain was the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, where she finished 14th in the qualification round with 21 ft ^{(6.42 m)}.

3.2. Transition to Italy and Major Achievements

In 1994, Fiona May transitioned her national allegiance, becoming an Italian citizen upon her marriage to her coach, Gianni Iapichino. Following this, she began to represent Italy in international competitions, marking the beginning of her most successful period.

Her first major achievement as an Italian representative was a bronze medal at the European Championships in Helsinki, Finland, with a jump of 23 ft ^{(6.9 m)}. In 1995, she won her first major international title, securing a gold medal at the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, with a wind-assisted jump of 23 ft ^{(6.98 m)}. The following year, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, she earned a silver medal with a jump of 23 ft ^{(7.02 m)}, only narrowly losing to Chioma Ajunwa of Nigeria. She also took a bronze at the IAAF Grand Prix Final in Milan, Italy, with 23 ft ^{(6.86 m)}.

May continued her gold medal streak, winning the World Indoor Championships in Paris, France, in 1997 with a jump of 23 ft ^{(6.86 m)}. She also secured a bronze medal at the World Championships in Athens, Greece, that year, with 23 ft ^{(6.91 m)}. The year 1998 saw her achieve further success with a gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, with 23 ft ^{(6.91 m)}, and a silver medal at the European Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where she achieved her personal best of 23 ft ^{(7.11 m)}. She also secured a bronze at the IAAF Grand Prix Final in Moscow, Russia, with 23 ft ^{(6.89 m)}.

In 1999, May earned another silver medal at the World Championships in Sevilla, Spain, with a jump of 23 ft ^{(6.94 m)}. She went on to win her second consecutive Olympic silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Australia, with 23 ft ^{(6.92 m)}. Her final major international gold medal came at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada, where she jumped a wind-assisted 23 ft ^{(7.02 m)}. She also finished fourth at the World Indoor Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, with 23 ft ^{(6.87 m)}.

Her later career saw a decline in performance. She finished ninth at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, France, with 21 ft ^{(6.46 m)}. In 2004, she was sixth at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary, with 22 ft ^{(6.64 m)}, and failed to qualify for the final at the Athens Olympics, placing 28th in qualification with 21 ft ^{(6.38 m)}. Her last significant win was a gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain, with 22 ft ^{(6.64 m)}.

3.3. Personal Bests

Fiona May holds impressive personal bests in her primary disciplines:

• Long Jump: 23 ft ^{(7.11 m)} (achieved in 1998 at the 1998 European Championships in Budapest)
• Triple Jump: 48 ft ^{(14.65 m)} (achieved in 1998), a performance that ranked her fifth in the world for that season.

3.4. Retirement

Fiona May officially retired from competitive athletics in 2006. Her career was notably impacted by the birth of her daughter in 2002, which caused her to miss the entire 2002 season. Although she attempted a comeback, her performances in the years leading up to her retirement did not reach her previous heights. Her final major competition was the 2005 World Championships, where she did not advance to the final.

5.1. Media and Entertainment

May quickly transitioned into the show business industry. She engaged in modeling and became a prominent spokeswoman for Kinder snacks, a popular Italian confectionery brand. In 2006, she demonstrated her versatility by winning the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars, further cementing her public appeal. Later that year, she made her acting debut as the protagonist in Butta la luna, a miniseries broadcast on Rai Uno. This role highlighted her commitment to social issues, as the series addressed themes of racism and social integration.

5.2. Social and Humanitarian Involvement

Beyond entertainment, Fiona May has dedicated her efforts to humanitarian and social causes. In 2019, she became a testimonial for the Italian Salesians of Don Bosco's missions in Africa. Her involvement specifically focused on their activities in Ethiopia, providing crucial support and assistance to mothers. Her participation in these initiatives reflects her continued commitment to social progress and community welfare.