Xenia Francesca Palazzo

Started: She took up the sport in 2004 in Palermo, Italy. (Athlete, 09 Sep 2019) Reason: Her mother encouraged her to take up swimming as part of her physiotherapy. "It has gone from simple therapy to a love for a sport that I still practise now. [Doctors at] all the medical centres said, 'She won't walk, she won't speak, she won't do anything'. But here I am." (Athlete, 09 Sep 2019; Tv2000it YouTube channel, 09 Oct 2018) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (larena.it, 21 Feb 2024) Awards: She was presented with the Italian National Olympic Committee [CONI] Sports Merit Award in 2023. (poliziapenitenziaria.it, 26 Dec 2023) She was named Paralympic Athlete of the Year at the 2022 Gazzetta Sport Awards in Italy. (finp.it, 21 Oct 2022) In 2021 she and her brother Misha were granted honorary citizenship of Corleone, Italy, in recognition of their achievements at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (palermotoday.it, 03 Dec 2021) In 2020 she received the Gold Medal for Athletic Valor from the Italian Paralympic Committee [CIP]. (Verona Swimming Team Facebook page, 04 Aug 2020) She was named the 2014 Emerging Athlete of the Year by the Sports Veterans Veronesi Group in Verona, Italy. (veronafedele.it, 16 Mar 2015) Additional Info: FURTHER EDUCATION She has earned a master's degree in training theory and methodology at the eCampus University in Italy. (Facebook profile, 02 Apr 2022; Fiamme Azzurre Facebook page, 02 Apr 2022) HERITAGE Her father is from Sicily, Italy, and her mother is Russian. (libero.it, 08 Mar 2013)

Sporting Relatives: Her younger brother Misha has also represented Italy in Para swimming, and competed at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Her mother Nadia Valkova was an international level water polo player. (SportsDeskOnline, 10 May 2022; Il Corriere di Verona, 12 Jan 2017; libero.it, 08 Mar 2013)