Alice D'Amato (Italian: [aˈliːtʃe daˈmaːto]; born 7 February 2003) is an Italian artistic gymnast. She represented Italy at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. She was a member of the teams that won silver at the 2024 Olympic Games, bronze at the 2019 World Championships, and gold at the 2022 and 2024 European Championships.
| Alice D'Amato | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 D'Amato at the 2022 European Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Alice D'Amato | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country represented |  Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 February 2003 Genoa, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Women's artistic gymnastics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Level | Senior International Elite | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years on national team | 2015 – present (ITA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Fiamme Oro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gym | Brixia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach(es) | Enrico Casella | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Individually she is the 2024 Olympic balance beam champion. On the uneven bars she is the 2023 and 2024 European champion, the 2022 European silver medalist, and the 2019 European bronze medalist. Additionally she is a two-time European all-around medalist. She is the twin sister of Asia D'Amato.
Early life
editD'Amato and her twin sister, Asia, were born in Genoa, Italy on 7 February 2003. She and her sister began gymnastics at the age of 7 at the Andrea Doria Sports Club in Genoa, Italy.[1] They currently train at the International Academy of Brixia in Brescia.[2] In December 2020, Alice and Asia received the Athlete of the Year award in the Liguria region of Italy.[1]
In September 2022, their father Massimo passed away after a long battle with cancer.[3][4]
Junior gymnastics career
editD'Amato made her international debut at the 2015 City of Jesolo Trophy as part of Italy's Young Dreams team alongside her twin sister Asia and Giorgia Villa.[5] D'Amato was injured for most of 2016, but competed at the Italian Event Championships where she placed first on uneven bars.[6]
In 2017, D'Amato competed at the Mediterranean Junior Championships where she won silver in the all-around behind Elisa Iorio, and won gold in the team final.[7] She later competed at the Italian National Championships where she placed third in the all-around and on balance beam.[8] She later competed at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival alongside Elisa Iorio and Asia D'Amato. There, she helped Italy win silver behind Russia. Individually, she qualified to the uneven bars final, but was withdrawn from the final so her teammate Iorio, who would later win gold, could compete.
D'Amato competed at the 2018 Italian Championships where she won silver on the uneven bars. In August, D'Amato competed at the 2018 European Championships alongside Asia D'Amato, Alessia Federici, Elisa Iorio, and Giorgia Villa where Italy won team gold.[9][10]
Senior gymnastics career
edit2019
editIn April, D'Amato was officially named to the team to compete at the 2019 European Championships alongside Giorgia Villa, Elisa Iorio and Asia D'Amato.[11] There she qualified to the all-around final and to the uneven bars final.[12] During the all-around final, D'Amato finished in fourth place after falling off the balance beam behind Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos of France, Ellie Downie of Great Britain, and Angelina Melnikova of Russia.[13] The following day she won the bronze medal on the uneven bars behind Russians Anastasia Ilyankova and Melnikova. In doing so, D'Amato became the first Italian to win a European Championships medal on the apparatus.[14]
In August, D'Amato competed at the Heerenveen Friendly, where she helped Italy win gold in the team competition ahead of the Netherlands and Norway, and individually, she finished fourth in the all-around behind Villa, Eythora Thorsdottir, and Naomi Visser. Additionally, she recorded the highest vault and uneven bars scores.[15] On September 4 D'Amato was named to the team to compete at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany alongside Giorgia Villa, Asia D'Amato, Elisa Iorio, and Desirée Carofiglio.[16]
During qualifications at the World Championships, D'Amato helped Italy qualify to the team final in eighth place; as a result, Italy also qualified to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.[17] In the team final, D'Amato helped Italy win the bronze medal—Italy's first team medal since the 1950 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. They ended up finishing behind the United States and Russia, but ahead of China, who originally qualified to the final in second place.[18]
2020
editIn early February, it was announced that D'Amato was selected to represent Italy at the Birmingham World Cup taking place in late March.[19] She was later replaced by Desiree Carofiglio.[20] However, the Birmingham World Cup was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[21]
2021
editIn April, D'Amato was selected to represent Italy at the European Championships in Basel alongside Giorgia Villa, Martina Maggio, and Vanessa Ferrari.[22] During qualifications, D'Amato placed 18th in the all-around, but did not qualify to the final due to Maggio and Ferrari placing higher. She did, however, qualify to the uneven bars final.[23] During the uneven bars final D'Amato placed fifth.
D'Amato was named to the team to represent Italy at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan alongside Asia D'Amato, Giorgia Villa (later replaced by Vanessa Ferrari),[24] and Martina Maggio.[25] The four qualified for the team finals and placed fourth with a total score of 163.638.[26] She placed 20th in the individual all-around.
In October, D'Amato was selected to compete at the 2021 World Championships.[27] She finished eighth in the all-around.
2022
edit
In June, D'Amato competed at the Mediterranean Games alongside Martina Maggio, Angela Andreoli, Asia D'Amato, and Giorgia Villa. Together, they won gold in the team competition, over five points ahead of second place France.[28] In August, D'Amato competed at the European Championships. She contributed scores on vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise towards Italy's first-place finish.[29] During event finals, D'Amato won silver on the uneven bars behind Elisabeth Seitz of Germany.
In October, D'Amato competed at the Italian National Championships. She placed second in the all-around and on floor exercise behind Maggio. D'Amato was later named to the team to compete at the World Championships in Liverpool alongside Maggio, Villa, Manila Esposito, Veronica Mandriota, and alternate Elisa Iorio.[30] Together, they finished fifth as a team. Individually, D'Amato qualified to the all-around and floor exercise finals, and was the first reserve for the uneven bars final. She finished tenth in the all-around, and withdrew from the floor exercise final so compatriot Maggio could compete instead.
2023
editD'Amato competed at the Cottbus World Cup where she finished first on uneven bars and fourth on floor exercise.[31] She next competed at the European Championships where she helped Italy finish second as a team. Individually, she finished third in the all-around behind Jessica Gadirova and Zsófia Kovács. During apparatus finals, she won gold on the uneven bars, becoming the first Italian to become a European champion on the event. Additionally, she placed fifth on balance beam and floor exercise. D'Amato next competed at the Cairo World Cup where she won gold on the uneven bars, and silver on floor exercise behind Joscelyn Roberson. Her results in Cottbus and Cairo won her the World Cup series titles on both the uneven bars and floor exercise.[32]
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D'Amato competed at the 2023 World Championships alongside Elisa Iorio, Angela Andreoli, Manila Esposito, and Arianna Belardelli; together they finished fifth as a team. Individually, D'Amato finished fifth in the all-around.
In November, D'Amato was awarded the Oscars of Brescia sport, alongside Roberto Rigali and Anna Danesi.[33]
2024
editD'Amato competed at the 2024 European Championships alongside Manila Esposito, Asia D'Amato, Angela Andreoli, and Elisa Iorio. On the first day of competition, D'Amato won silver in the all-around competition behind compatriot Esposito.[34] During event finals, she earned her second consecutive uneven bars title and finished fifth on balance beam.[35] On the final day of competition, the team final, D'Amato contributed scores on vault, uneven bars, and balance beam, helping Italy win their third European team title.[36]
In July, D'Amato competed at the Italian Championships where she won her second consecutive national all-around title. At the conclusion of the competition, she was named to the team to represent Italy at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Esposito, Andreoli, Iorio, and Giorgia Villa.[37]
At the 2024 Olympic Games D'Amato helped Italy qualify to the team final in second place. Individually, she qualified to the all-around, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise event finals; in qualifying to four individual finals, D'Amato tied Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade as the gymnast who qualified to the most individual finals. During the team final, D'Amato contributed scores on all four events towards Italy's second place finish, tying Italy's highest Olympic team placement. The last time the Italian women won an Olympic team medal was 96 years prior at the 1928 Olympic Games.[38] D'Amato finished fourth in the all-around final, just 0.132 points behind bronze medallist Sunisa Lee.[39] In finishing fourth, D'Amato became the highest placing Italian gymnast in an Olympic all-around final, surpassing Vanessa Ferrari who finished eighth in 2012.[40]
On the second day of individual apparatus event finals D'Amato finished fifth on uneven bars.[41] On the final day of competition D'Amato won gold on the balance beam with a score of 14.366 points.[42] By winning this gold medal D'Amato became the first Italian female artistic gymnast to become an Olympic champion.[43] D'Amato ended the competition placing sixth on floor exercise.
Competitive history
edit| Year | Event | Team | AA | VT | UB | BB | FX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | |||||||
| 2015 | City of Jesolo Trophy | 24 | |||||
| 2016 | Italian Event Championships |  |
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| 2017 | 1st Italian Serie A | |
|||||
| International Gymnix |  |
7 | 7 | ||||
| City of Jesolo Trophy | |
20 | 6 | ||||
| Mediterranean Championships | |
|
|
| |||
| German Junior Friendly | |
4 | |||||
| Euro Youth Olympic Festival | |
||||||
| Italian Championships |  |
7 | |
8 | |||
| 4th Italian Serie A | |
||||||
| 2018 | 1st Italian Serie A | |
|
||||
| International Gymnix | |
7 | |||||
| Italian Championships | |
||||||
| Pieve di Soligo Friendly | |
||||||
| European Championships | |
||||||
| Senior | |||||||
| 2019 | 1st Italian Serie A | |
5 | ||||
| City of Jesolo Trophy | |
5 | 5 | ||||
| 2nd Italian Serie A | |
|
|||||
| European Championships | 4 | |
|||||
| 3rd Italian Serie A | |
|
|
||||
| Heerenveen Friendly | |
4 | |||||
| World Championships | |
||||||
| 2020 | 1st Italian Serie A | |
|
|
|||
| 3rd Italian Serie A | |
|
|
||||
| National Championships | 5 | 4 | 8 | ||||
| 2021 | 1st Italian Serie A | |
|||||
| 3rd Italian Serie A | |
4 | |||||
| European Championships | 5 | ||||||
| FIT Challenge | |
7 | 6 | ||||
| National Championships | |
||||||
| Olympic Games | 4 | 20 | |||||
| World Championships | 8 | R3 | |||||
| Swiss Cup | |
||||||
| 2022 | 1st Italian Serie A | |
|
||||
| City of Jesolo Trophy | |
||||||
| Mediterranean Games | |
||||||
| European Championships | |
|
|||||
| National Championships | |
4 | 8 |
| |||
| World Championships | 5 | 10 | R1 | WD | |||
| Arthur Gander Memorial | |
||||||
| 2023 | Cottbus World Cup | |
4 | ||||
| City of Jesolo Trophy | |
|
|
||||
| European Championships | |
|
|
5 | 5 | ||
| Cairo World Cup | |
| |||||
| National Championships | |
|
|||||
| World Championships | 5 | 5 | |||||
| 2024 | City of Jesolo Trophy | |
|
|
|||
| European Championships | |
|
|
5 | |||
| National Championships | |
|
|
| |||
| Olympic Games | |
4 | 5 | |
6 | ||
References
edit- ^ a b "Artistic Gymnastics D'AMATO Asia". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "La genovese Asia D'Amato campionessa italiana a Civitavecchia". Liguria Sport (in Italian). 1 December 2016.
- ^ "Alice and Asia D'Amato exclusive: "The loss of our father has undoubtedly left a scar"". International Olympic Committee. 24 February 2023.
- ^ "Addio a Massimo D'Amato, vigile del fuoco e papà delle campionesse Asia e Alice" [Farewell to Massimo D'Amato, firefighter and father of champions Asia and Alice]. Genova Today (in Italian). 25 September 2022.
- ^ "2015 City of Jesolo Trophy Final Results". The Gymterent. 28 March 2015.
- ^ "Ginnastica, Campionati Italiani di Categoria – Finali di Specialità: tripletta di Arianna Rocca, ottime D'Amato e Giorgia Villa". OA Sport (in Italian). 27 November 2016.
- ^ "2017 Mediterranean Junior Championships Results". The Gymternet. 9 April 2017.
- ^ "2017 Italian Championships Results". The Gymternet. 2 September 2017.
- ^ "2018 European Championships Results". The Gymterent. 6 August 2018.
- ^ "European Gymnastics" (PDF). European Gymnastics. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, Europei 2019: le convocate dell'Italia, quattro Fate volano a Stettino. C'è Giorgia Villa". OA Sport (in Italian). 4 April 2019.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, Europei 2019: l'Italia sbanca Stettino, 3 Finali di Specialità. Villa prima alla trave, festa per le gemelle d'Amato". OA Sport (in Italian). 11 April 2019.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, Europei 2019: De Jesus conquista lo scettro all-around, battute Downie e Melnikova in volata. Alice d'Amato quarta, Giorgia Villa sesta". OA Sport (in Italian). 12 April 2019.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, Europei 2019: Alice d'Amato nella storia, prima italiana sul podio agli staggi! 13^ medaglia all-time, rotto un digiuno di 5 anni". OA Sport (in Italian). 13 April 2019.
- ^ "2019 Heerenveen Friendly Results". The Gymternet. 31 August 2019.
- ^ "Mondiali Stoccarda 2019: Tutti i convocati!". Ginnasticando (in Italian). 4 September 2019. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "Ginnastica, Mondiali 2019: Italia senza finali di specialità, azzurre avanti con la squadra. Villa e Iorio in finale all-around". OASport (in Italian). 6 October 2019.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, ITALIA: SEI LEGGENDARIA! Bronzo mitologico nella gara a squadre, impresa della vita. Fate da antologia". OASport (in Italian). 8 October 2019.
- ^ "Birmingham World Cup roster bursts with World stars". FIG. 7 February 2020.
- ^ @BritGymnastics (24 February 2020). "There has been a change to the Birmingham World Cup line-up!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "British Gymnastics national events announcement, including FIG World Cup". British Gymnastics. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ "Basilea – Ufficializzati i nomi dei convocati per il 9° Campionato Europeo individuale di Artistica maschile e femminile". Federazione Ginnastica d’Italia (in Italian). 16 April 2021.
- ^ "Basilea – Europeo: Martina Maggio sfiora il pass olimpico per l'Italia. Finali All-around e di specialità conquistate. Emozioni Azzurre". Federazione Ginnastica d’Italia (in Italian). 21 April 2021.
- ^ "Tokyo - Giorgia Villa si infortuna a Napoli e perde i Giochi. Ferrari in squadra, Lara Mori individualista". Italian Gymnastics Federation (in Italian). 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, Olimpiadi 2021: le convocate dell'Italia. 4 Fate per la squadra, Vanessa Ferrari individualista" [Artistic gymnastics, 2021 Olympics: the summons of Italy. 4 Do for the team, individualist Vanessa Ferrari]. OA Sport (in Italian). 5 July 2021.
- ^ "Artistic Gymnastics - Final Results". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ @ginnasticaartisticaitaliana.it (6 October 2021). "MONDIALI DI KITAKYUSHU 2021: CONVOCAZIONI GAF" – via Instagram.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, l'Italia vince i Giochi del Mediterraneo. Le Fate si laureano Regine del Mare Nostrum" [Artistic gymnastics, Italy wins the Mediterranean Games. The Fairies graduate Queens of the Mare Nostrum]. OA Sport (in Italian). 26 June 2022.
- ^ "Italy win artistic gymnastics team gold at European Championships". International Olympic Committee. 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Ginnastica artistica, Mondiali 2022: le convocate dell'Italia. Campionesse d'Europa con due assenze, novità Esposito e Mandriota" [Artistic gymnastics, World Cup 2022: the summons of Italy. European champions with two absences, new Esposito and Mandriota]. OA Sport (in Italian). 25 October 2022.
- ^ "Gymnasts from seven nations snag titles at Cottbus World Cup". International Gymnastics Federation. 27 February 2023.
- ^ "Illia Kovtun, Alice D'Amato crown successful springs with multiple World Cup Series titles". International Gymnastics Federation. 2 May 2023.
- ^ "Consegnati gli Oscar dello sport bresciano a D'Amato, Danesi e Rigali" [The Oscars of Brescia sport were awarded to D'Amato, Danesi and Rigali]. Giornale di Brescia (in Italian). 25 November 2023.
- ^ "Italy's Manila Esposito And Alice D'Amato 1-2 At 2024 European Gymnastics Championships In Rimini". International Olympic Committee. 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Devillard, D'Amato And Esposito Win European Apparatus Titles In Rimini". International Olympic Committee. 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Esposito wins fourth gold, leads Italy to senior team victory at European Championships". International Gymnast Media. 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Parigi - Il DTN Casella sceglie le fate olimpiche" [Paris - DTN Casella chooses Olympic fairies]. Italian Gymnastics Federation (in Italian). 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Italy's gymnasts enjoy 'wonderful' first women's team medal in 96 years at Paris Olympics". CNN. 30 July 2024.
- ^ Cohen, Rebecca (1 August 2024). "Biles gets gold in all-around final". NBC News.
- ^ "Alice D'Amato miglior risultato All Around della storia – lei e Asia "Sognano di ripetersi insieme a Los Angeles"" [Alice D'Amato Best All Around Result in History – She and Asia “Dream of Repeating Together in Los Angeles”]. Ginnasticando (in Italian). 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Alice D'Amato, meno di un decimo dal podio. Quinta alle parallele asimmetriche" [Alice D'Amato, less than a tenth off the podium. Fifth on the uneven bars]. Rai News 24 (in Italian). 4 August 2024.
- ^ Price, Caroline (5 August 2024). "Italy's Alice D'Amato Wins Gold In 'Splatfest' Olympic Balance Beam Final". Forbes.
- ^ "Alice D'Amato Wins Shock Balance Beam Gold, Becomes First Italian Woman To Claim Olympic Title In Any Gymnastics Event". International Olympic Committee. 5 August 2024.