Assunta Legnante

Started: She took up athletics in 1995 while she was at school in Frattamaggiore, Italy. In 2012 she began competing in Para athletics. (odiarenoneunosport.it, 20 Feb 2020; Athlete, 15 Jul 2013) Reason: She wanted to participate in the youth school games so she signed up for a number of sports. "Until the youth school games, I was practising volleyball. I was already tall, but in my area, Naples, there were no good teams that could offer me a bright future in the sport. At school I started experimenting with different disciplines of athletics, running, jumping, until they put a weight in my hand and the teachers noticed that I was capable. In a short time I made a lot of progress and found a club in Naples where I could train continuously." (odiarenoneunosport.it, 20 Feb 2020; Athlete, 15 Jul 2013) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (viveremarche.it, 17 Jul 2023) Milestones: She represented Italy at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, making her the first female Italian track and field athlete to have competed at both the Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games. (abilitychannel.tv, 30 Apr 2013; european-athletics.org, 15 May 2012) Awards: She received the 'Collare d'Oro' [Golden Necklace] from the Italian Olympic Committee [CONI] in 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2023. She also received the Bronze Medal in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. (sport.quotidiano.net, 22 Dec 2023; coni.it, 01 Jan 2023) In 2013 she became Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. (azzurridigloria.com, 14 May 2020) Additional Info: MASK She wears an eye mask while competing, and in 2012 she began wearing one with eyes printed on the front that she named 'Diabolik'. In 2019 she switched to a new mask that has tiger eyes and is named 'Uomo Tigre' [Tiger Man]. The mask was picked by her fans in a poll she launched on social media prior to the 2019 World Championships. "Half-jokingly during practice I said to my colleagues that if I managed to qualify and compete [at the 2012 Paralympic Games] in London, I would have to think of something that distinguished me. The idea of the Diabolik eyes came from two guys who trained with me, Massimo Maruffi and Alessio Giovannini. After wearing Diabolik for a while, I decided to let my fans choose a new mask for the [2019] World Championships, and they chose Uomo Tigre." (odiarenoneunosport.it, 20 Feb 2020; Facebook page, 31 Jul 2019; picenotime.it, 14 Sep 2016; giornale.uici.it, 01 Jan 2012) OTHER ACTIVITIES She works as a public speaker at events and in schools, and has served as a Paralympic Ambassador for the Italian Paralympic Committee. "What interests me most is to make people understand that if I have managed to find a second way, then there is another opportunity for everyone." (comitatoparalimpico.it, 09 Dec 2020; comune.castelfidardo.an.it, 22 Nov 2020)