Giulia Terzi

Started: She took up artistic gymnastics as a child but switched to Para swimming after her impairment progressed. She began training seriously in 2018 at the Sporting Lodi club in Italy. (Athlete, 09 Sep 2019; giornaleditreviglio.it, 30 Jun 2018) Reason: "My mother is a former swimmer and put me in the pool when I was five months old. I didn't really like being in the pool and I preferred to dedicate myself to artistic gymnastics. [Artistic gymnastics] was my passion. I practised it since I was a child, but when I started having problems I had to give it up. The doctors advised me to swim. My mother Stefania took me there [Sporting Lodi swimming club]. It was the only sport I could do that was good for me." (ecodibergamo.it, 04 Jul 2023; Athlete, 09 Sep 2019; giornaleditreviglio.it, 30 Jun 2018) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 and 2028 Paralympic Games. Away from sport, she aspires to earn a PhD. (ecodibergamo.it, 26 Jan 2024, 04 Jul 2023) Additional Info: MOTHERHOOD She gave birth to her son Edoardo in February 2024. Two months later she won a bronze medal [ranking third among European competitors and sixth overall] in the S7 100m freestyle at the 2024 European Open Championships in Madeira, Portugal. "I was in the pool until Christmas and even in January. I didn't think I'd return from this European championship with a medal. Willpower and dedication go far beyond talent." (swimswam.com, 28 Apr 2024; Instagram profile, 28 Apr 2024, 27 Feb 2024; ecodibergamo.it, 26 Jan 2024) FURTHER EDUCATION She completed a law degree at eCampus University in Italy in September 2021 and began studying for a master's degree in management, business and administration. "I cannot deny that studying and competing is challenging, however, if you want to achieve a goal, you must be willing to make such sacrifices. It is impossible to concentrate your whole life on swimming, so I believe that sport and study must coexist in such a way to open doors in another sector. To complete my studies I sometimes had to do crazy hours, taking advantage of the break between one workout and another, in the evenings and weekends." (espresso.repubblica.it, 16 Nov 2021; bergamonews.it, 23 Oct 2021; Facebook profile, 13 Nov 2020) OCCUPATION She has worked in her family's fish transport and logistics business. (ecodibergamo.it, 04 Jul 2023; espresso.repubblica.it, 16 Nov 2021)

Sporting Relatives: Her partner Stefano Raimondi has represented Italy in Para swimming. He won gold in the SB9 100m breaststroke at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, as well as four silver and two bronze medals. He also won a total of 22 medals [including 13 golds] at the world championships between 2019 and 2023. (SportsDeskOnline, 31 May 2024; Instagram profile, 03 Apr 2024)