Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa had an inspiring story of resilience leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympics. A sprained ankle just days before the Tokyo Games in 2021 sidelined her from her first chance to compete on the Olympic stage. Despite further injuries, she kept training with her eye on Paris.
Now part of Italy’s national “squadra azzurra,” the 21-year-old from outside Milan made history with her five teammates — securing Italy’s first Olympic gymnastics medal in 94 years — with a silver in the women’s team all-around Tuesday night.
The dominant Team USA, led by Simone Biles, won the gold and finished well ahead, while Brazil, winning its first-ever team medal in gymnastics, took a the bronze.
Following the Italians’ silver-medal performance, some on social media were quick to point out Villa’s unique endorsement deal.
Villa is sponsored by Parmigiano Reggiano, the trade name for the type of Italian parmesan cheese. Villa regularly poses in sponsored photos sitting astride or holding wheels of the hard cheese.
“The very young athlete, a spearhead of the national gymnastics team, has become the brand’s new ambassador, bringing all the enthusiasm and freshness of her splendid age,” the Italian marketing agency Impresa e Sport said in 2021, announcing the sponsorship.
“The combination of Parmigiano Reggiano and the world of sport is indissoluble in terms of authenticity, quality, and energetic value, both in sporting activity and proper nutrition.”
Villa said at the time: “Since I was a child I have always loved this fantastic product, a symbol of Italian excellence and culture, and from today being able to collaborate with them makes me extremely proud and charged to face future challenges!”
The gymnast has undoubtedly delivered on her sponsor’s expectations. Before Paris, she was part of the history-making Italian women’s team that won bronze at the 2019 World Championships, and then led the national team to European gold in 2022 and silver in 2023, in addition to gold at the 2022 Mediterranean Games.
And when she stepped on the podium in Paris 2024, Villa became one of the few athletes to have won a medal with Italy at both the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
