Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Obit: Ondina Valla, 90, First Italian Woman to Win an Olympic Gold Medal in 1936 in Hurdles

The ANNOTICO Report

 

Ondina Valla presented a paradox in that she competed in athletics in an era, and in a country where the Catholic Church, medical expertise, eugenics theories and the fascist regime were all opposed to female competitive sport.

 

However Italy took great national pride in Valla's accomplishments, and also became an agent of female emancipation.

She was a national icon that also became  a gender icon.

 

Ondina Valla, 90; Hurdler Was the First Woman From Italy to Win an Olympic Gold Medal

Los Angeles Times

From Times Staff and Wire Reports

October 17, 2006

 

Ondina Valla, 90, the 80-meter hurdle champion at the 1936 Summer Games and the first Italian woman to win an Olympic gold medal, died Monday in her hometown of L'Aquila, the Italian Olympic Committee said. No cause of death was given.

Valla tied a world record when she ran the 80-meter hurdles  no longer an Olympic event  in 11.6 seconds in the semifinals at the Berlin Games. Because of a new rule against wind-aided times that was approved during the Games, it was recognized as an Olympic record but not a world record. Valla then won the final in 11.7 seconds in a photo finish.

 

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Born Trebisonda Valla in Bologna on May 20, 1916, she also set 21 Italian records during her career.

 

 

 

Biography:   Trebisonda Valla, also known as Ondina Valla  (May 20, 1916- October 16, 2006)

Born at Bologna, she was named Trebisonda - a very unusual name for the country - after the Turkish  town of  Trabzon (Trebisonda in Italian), which her father considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. She was the little girl of the family, born after four brothers, and was mostly called by her nickname "Ondina" (meaning "little wave").

Ondina Valla stood out for her personality and her sports talent even as a young girl. She rivaled with Claudia Testoni at the school championships in their hometown - they would remain opponents for the rest of their careers. Aged 13, Ondina Valla was already considered one of Italy's top athletes. The following year she became national champion and was tapped for the national team.

She was a versatile athlete, capable of excellent results in sprint events, hurdles races and jumps. She soon became a favorite with Italian sports fans. She was the ideal icon of the healthy, strong national youth. Media defined her "the sun in a smile".

Her most important achievement was the gold medal of 80 m hurdles race at the  1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. On August 5  she won the semi-final in 11.6, a new world record. On the following day she ran the final. It was a tight race, with four athletes rushing together at the finish line. No doubts about Valla's victory, but a photofinish picture was needed to award the silver and bronze medals. Valla's life-long rival, Claudia Testoni, finished fourth, without a medal.

After those Olympic Games Ondina Valla was forced to limit her competitions because of back problems. However, she still continued to compete until the early  1940s.

 

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