Antonietta Di Martino

Early years (1990–2001)

Di Martino was born in Cava de' Tirreni. Her athletics history began at the age of 12 at the Youth Games, which highlighted her beginnings. Coincidentally, the high jump was not her first speciality. For much of her youth, she practised the javelin throw and continued trying for multiple disciplines. She debuted in the national team for heptathlon in the European Cup in 2001.

Early achievements (2001–2006)

Her skills as a high jumper were first discovered in July 2001, during the Italian Championship in Catania when her jump raised her personal best from 1.93 to 1.98 meters, thus equalling the personal best of accomplished Italian high-jumper Antonella Bevilacqua. A month later, she was able to reach the world finals where she finished twelfth at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. In 2006, she finished fifth at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow and tenth at the European Championships in Gothenburg.

The Golden year - 2007

In February 2007, she cleared 2.00 metres in Banská Bystrica, breaking Sara Simeoni's previous Italian indoor record of 1.98 m. She followed this up with a silver medal at the 2007 European Indoor Championships,^[2] where she jumped 1.96 m.

Di Martino also won the silver medal at the 2007 World Championships, having jumped 2.03 m. Her 2008 season was not so successful, and she managed only the tenth position at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and closed the year carrying a serious toe injury, making her consider retiring from the sport.^[3]

Her return (2009–2012)

In September 2009, she changed coaches and experienced a resurgence in her form. She won the Italian Indoor Championships, but illness ruled her out of the 2009 European Indoor Championships a few months later.^[3] She took bronze at the 2009 European Team Championships and soon after, she beat Blanka Vlašić to win the Golden Gala meeting, jumping 2.00 m in Rome.^[4] She cleared 1.99 m at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, securing a fourth-place finish. She capped off the year with a bronze at the final edition of the World Athletics Final.^[3]

Antonietta Di Martino won the gold medal at the 2010 European Team Championships, but did not even pass the qualifying round at the 2010 European Athletics Championships. She rebounded at the start of the 2011 season, jumping to an Italian indoor record of 2.04 m in Banská Bystrica in Slovakia.^[5] She continued with her good form in March by winning the European Indoor Championship in Paris with 2.01 m.

Records and achievements

Her personal best outdoor jump is 2.03 metres, achieved on 24 June 2007, in Milan by surpassing her own previous Italian record of 2.02 m, while her best indoor result came at an indoor high jump meeting in Slovakia on 9 February 2011 with a new national record of 2.04 m. Standing at only 1.69 m, this jump is the unofficial women's world record for the highest jump over her own height (at 35 cm).^[6] Di Martino used to be active in heptathlon, achieving a personal best of 5542 points (2001).

Missing the 2012 Summer Olympics

Di Martino suffered an injury on her knee in April 2012,^[7] just four months before the Olympic Games. She was forced to temporarily stop training. However, the National Athletics Federation (FIDAL) underestimate the nature of the injury, which was diagnosed in the three weeks of rehabilitation. But less than a month before the Olympics, they learned that the injury was more serious than expected, forcing her to undergo surgery, ruling her out of London.^[8] Her knee surgery was performed just a few days before the race in the Olympics high jump.^[9]

Her coach in an interview, accused the FIDAL have underestimated the nature of the injury and failing to ensure an athlete who has contributed immensely to Italian sport the right care at the time of rehabilitation.