Antonino Bossolo

Started: He took up taekwondo at age 11. (repubblica.it, 06 Mar 2021) Reason: He wanted to play football but his mother encouraged him to try another sport, so he visited the martial arts gym in his village. "She [his mother] convinced me and I went to try and that day I fell in love with it." (repubblica.it, 06 Mar 2021) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 28 Mar 2024) Milestones: He became the first Para taekwondo athlete representing Italy to claim a gold medal at the world championships when he won the men's K44 -63kg category at the 2023 edition of the tournament in Veracruz, Mexico. (SportsDeskOnline, 30 Nov 2023) He became the first Italian Para taekwondo athlete to claim a gold medal at the European championships when he won the men's K44 -61kg category at the 2018 edition of the tournament in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. (SportsDeskOnline, 30 Nov 2023) Awards: He was named 2023 Male Para Athlete of the Year by the Italian Taekwondo Federation. (Facebook profile, 03 Dec 2023) In 2023 he received the 'Collare d'Oro' [Golden Necklace] Award from the Italian Paralympic Committee. (Facebook page, 28 Nov 2023) Additional Info: OTHER ACTIVITIES In December 2020 he was re-elected as a member of the Italian Paralympic Committee [CIP] Athletes' Commission. (insidethegames.biz, 19 Dec 2020)