Manila Esposito

Esposito was born in Boscotrecase to Luciano and Margherita Esposito.^[3] She began gymnastics at age four when her mother began noticing her athletic abilities.^[4] When she was five years old, her family moved to Civitavecchia.^[3]

Esposito competed at the DTB Pokal Mixed Cup and won the bronze medal with the Italian team behind the United States and Germany.^[5] She then competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy where she finished tenth in the all-around with a total score of 51.200.^[6] She won the all-around title at the Joaquim Blume Memorial with a total score of 53.300.^[7] She won the all-around bronze medal at the Italian Championships behind Martina Maggio and Alice D'Amato.^[8] In the event finals, she won the gold medal on the vault, the silver medal on the balance beam, the bronze medal on the uneven bars, and she placed fourth on the floor exercise.^[9] She was then selected to compete at the World Championships alongside Maggio, D'Amato, Giorgia Villa, and Veronica Mandriota. The team qualified for the team final, where they finished fifth.^[10]

Esposito competed at the Cottbus World Cup on the vault and floor exercise. In the vault final, she won the gold medal by completing a Yurchenko 1.5 and a Podkopayeva for a 13.233 average. She won a silver medal in the floor final behind Japan's Kokufugata Azuki.^[11]

At the 2023 European Championships in Antalya, she won the silver medal on the beam. Additionally she was a member of the team to win the silver medal in the team final alongside Alice D'Amato, Asia D'Amato, Angela Andreoli, and Giorgia Villa.^[12]

At the World Championships in Antwerp she finished fifth with the Italian team consisting of Angela Andreoli, Arianna Belardelli, Alice D’Amato, and Elisa Iorio.^[13] Individually, she was ninth in the all round final.^[14]

Esposito competed at the 2024 European Championships alongside Alice D'Amato, Asia D'Amato, Angela Andreoli, and Elisa Iorio. On the first day of competition, Esposito won the all-around competition and became the third Italian woman to achieve this feat.^[15] During event finals, she picked up another two gold medals, winning on both balance beam and floor exercise.^[16] On the final day of competition, the team final, Esposito contributed scores on all four apparatuses, helping Italy win their third European team title.^[17]

In July, Esposito competed at the Italian Championships, where she placed second in the all-around. At the conclusion of the competition she was named to the team to represent Italy at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Alice D'Amato, Andreoli, Iorio, and Giorgia Villa.^[18]

At the 2024 Olympic Games Esposito helped Italy qualify to the team final in second place. Individually, she qualified for the all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise finals. During the team final, Esposito contributed scores on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise towards Italy's second-place finish, tying Italy's highest Olympic team placement. The last time Italy won this medal was 96 years prior at the 1928 Olympic Games.^[19] During the all-around final Esposito placed fourteenth. On the final day of competition, Esposito competed in the balance beam final, earning a score of 14.000 and winning the bronze medal behind compatriot D'Amato and Zhou Yaqin of China.^[20] Additionally, Esposito placed ninth on floor exercise.

Esposito returned to competition at the 2025 City of Jesolo Trophy where she helped Italy win gold as a team. Individually, she won gold in the all-around and on balance beam and placed fourth on floor exercise.^[21]

She was selected for the team to compete at the 2025 European Championships alongside Alice D'Amato, Giulia Perotti, Emma Fioravanti, and Sofia Tonelli.^[22] They went on to win the gold medal in the team final, successfully defending Italy's title from the previous year.^[23] She competed in the mixed team event, winning the bronze medal with Lorenzo Minh Casali.^[24] Individually, she won the all-around competition, again retaining her title from 2024.^[25] She also qualified to the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor event finals, winning the silver medal on floor exercise behind Romania's Ana Bărbosu.^[26]