Stefania Belmondo (affectionately known as the Tiny Tornado, born 13 January 1969) is an Italian former cross-country skier, a two-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion.
Biography
Debut Belmondo was born in Vinadio, in the province of Cuneo (Piedmont), the daughter of a housewife and an electric company employee. In her career she skied with the G.S. Forestale.
She started to ski at the age of three in the Piedmontese mountains of her native city. She made her debut at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1987. The next season she joined the main national team of Italy, and then participated in the 1988 Winter Olympics, held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In 1989, she won a World Cup event for the first time, in Salt Lake City, and ended that season second overall.
Early success, injury, return At the 1991 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, she won a bronze medal in the 15 km trial, and a silver in the 4 × 5 km relay. The 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville brought the first gold medal for Belmondo, in the 30 km specialty. At the 1993 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, she won golds in the 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit and the 30 km, and a silver in the 4 × 5 km relay, before an injury to her right hallux required surgery, and caused a 4-month absence from competition.
After a second operation, Belmondo participated in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, gaining just two bronze medals; after this disappointing performance she decided to continue skiing, against the advice of her physician. The 1996–97 season was one of her best since the surgeries, when she won four silver medals (5 km, 15 km, 30 km), all were behind Russian Yelena Välbe though she tied with Välbe in the 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit event. In the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, she won a third place with the 4 × 5 km relay, and an individual silver in the 30 km. The bronze medal in the relay was remarkable because the Italian team was ninth as Belmondo started the last leg. The 1999 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships saw Stefania Belmondo win two gold medals (5 km + 10 km combined pursuit, 15 km) and a silver (4 × 5 km relay).
In her final year of competition, 2002, she won a gold medal, as well as a silver and a bronze, in the Winter Olympics. She concluded that year's World Cup in third place.
Other career successes Belmondo also found success at the Holmenkollen ski festival, winning the 30 km women's event twice (1997, 2002). She is the one of only two women to ever win the 30 km Olympic, World Championship, and Holmenkollen events (Norway's Marit Bjørgen is the other). Belmondo earned the Holmenkollen medal in 1997 (shared with Bjarte Engen Vik and Bjørn Dæhlie).
1997 World Championships In the pursuit event at the 1997 World Championships in Trondheim the organizers had to resort to Photo finish to determine who between Belmondo and Yelena Välbe had won the race. Eventually the gold medal is awarded to the Russian and the Italian Silver for just , both athletes are still credited the same time.
2006 Winter Olympics At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, in her native region of Piedmont, she lit the Olympic Flame at the opening ceremony. During the 2006 Winter Olympics, Belmondo had a series of webpages on the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games website regarding her reaction and emotions during the games.
Personal life Belmondo is a mother and has kids.
Cross-country skiing results All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Olympic Games 10 medals – (2 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze) Year Age 5 km 10 km 15 km Pursuit 20 km 30 km Sprint 4 × 5 km relay 1988 19 — 19 29 10 1992 23 4 5 Silver Gold Bronze 1994 25 13 4 Bronze — Bronze 1998 29 12 8 5 Silver Bronze 2002 33 Bronze Gold 11 Silver — 6
World Championships 13 medals – (4 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze) Year Age 5 km 10 km classical 10 km freestyle 15 km Pursuit 30 km Sprint 4 × 5 km relay 1989 20 11 10 — — 6 1991 22 10 7 Bronze 4Silver 1993 24 5 6 Gold GoldSilver 1995 26 8 12 5 —4 1997 28 Silver Silver Silver Silver4 1999 30 8 GoldGold 13Silver 2001 32 4 4 8 — Bronze
a. Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.
World Cup Season titles 1 title – (1 sprint) SeasonDiscipline1997 Sprint
Season standings Season Age Overall Long Distance Middle Distance Sprint 1989 20 13 1990 21 8 1991 22 1992 23 1993 24 1994 25 4 1995 26 7 1996 27 6 1997 28 1998 29 1999 30 5 2000 31 6 7 37 2001 32 4 7 2002 33
Individual podiums 23 victories 66 podiums No. Season Date Location Race Level Place1 1989–9010 December 1989 Soldier Hollow, United States 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st2 1990–918 December 1990 Tauplitzalm, Austria 10 km + 15 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 1st3 20 December 1990 Les Saisies, France 5 km + 10 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 2nd4 8 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy 15 km Individual C World Championships 3rd5 1991–92 7 December 1991 Silver Star, Canada 5 km Individual C World Cup 2nd6 8 December 1991 10 km Pursuit CWorld Cup 1st7 8 December 1991 Cogne, Italy 30 km Individual FWorld Cup 1st8 15 February 1992 Albertville, France 10 km Pursuit F Olympic Games 2nd9 21 February 1992 30 km Individual F Olympic Games 1st10 1 March 1992 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual C World Cup 1st11 14 March 1992 Vang, Norway 15 km Individual F World Cup 3rd12 1992–93 9 January 1993 Ulrichen, Switzerland 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd13 16 January 1993 Cogne, Italy 10 km Individual F World Cup 1st14 23 February 1993 Falun, Sweden 10 km Pursuit F World Championships 1st15 27 February 1993 30 km Individual F World Championships 1st16 6 March 1993 Lahti, Finland 5 km Individual F World Cup 3rd17 1993–94 11 December 1993 Santa Caterina, Italy 5 km Individual C World Cup 3rd18 18 December 1993 Davos, Switzerland 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd19 17 February 1994 Lillehammer, Norway 10 km Pursuit F Olympic Games 3rd20 6 March 1994 Lahti, Finland 30 km Individual F World Cup 3rd21 1994–95 7 January 1995 Östersund, Sweden 30 km Individual F World Cup 2nd22 1995–9629 November 1995 Gällivare, Sweden 10 km Individual F World Cup 1st23 9 January 1996 Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia 30 km Individual F World Cup 3rd24 2 February 1996 Seefeld, Austria 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd25 2 March 1996 Lahti, Finland 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd26 1996–97 23 November 1996 Kiruna, Sweden 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd27 7 December 1996 Davos, Switzerland 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st28 14 December 1996 Brusson, Italy 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st29 11 January 1997 Hakuba, Japan 5 km Individual C World Cup 1st30 12 January 1997 10 km Pursuit F World Cup 1st31 18 January 1997 Lahti, Finland 15 km Individual C World Cup 3rd32 21 February 1997 Trondheim, Norway 15 km Individual F World Championships 2nd33 23 February 1997 5 km Individual C World Championships 2nd34 24 February 1997 10 km Pursuit F World Championships 2nd35 1 March 1997 30 km Individual C World Championships 2nd36 8 March 1997 Falun, Sweden 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd37 15 March 1997 Oslo, Norway 30 km Individual F World Cup 1st38 1997–98 16 December 1997 Val di Fiemme, Italy 15 km Individual F World Cup 3rd39 4 January 1998 Kavgolovo, Russia 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd40 11 January 1998 Ramsau, Austria 10 km Pursuit F World Cup 1st41 7 March 1998 Lahti, Finland 15 km Individual F World Cup 1st42 11 March 1998 Falun, Sweden 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd43 1998–99 28 November 1998 Muonio, Finland 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd44 12 January 1999 Nové Město, Czech Republic 15 km Individual F World Cup 2nd45 14 February 1999 Seefeld, Austria 5 km Individual F World Cup 3rd46 19 February 1999 Ramsau, Austria 15 km Individual F World Championships 1st47 23 February 1999 10 km Pursuit F World Championships 1st48 20 March 1999 Oslo, Norway 30 km Individual C World Cup 3rd49 1999–002 February 2000 Trondheim, Norway 5 km Individual F World Cup 1st50 16 February 2000 Ulrichen, Switzerland 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd51 20 February 2000 Transjurassienne, France 44 km Mass Start F World Cup 1st52 26 February 2000 Falun, Sweden 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd53 18 March 2000 Bormio, Italy 10 km Pursuit F World Cup 2nd54 2000–01 25 November 2000 Beitostølen, Norway 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd55 29 November 2000 5 km Individual F World Cup 2nd56 8 December 2000 Santa Caterina, Italy 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd57 29 December 2000 Engelberg, Switzerland 1.0 km Sprint F World Cup 3rd58 10 January 2001 Soldier Hollow, United States 5 km + 5 km Pursuit World Cup 3rd59 4 March 2001 Kavgolovo, Russia 15 km Individual F World Cup 3rd60 2001–02 12 December 2001 Brusson, Italy 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd61 15 December 2001 Davos, Switzerland 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd62 22 December 2001 Ramsau, Austria 15 km Mass Start F World Cup 2nd63 12 January 2002 Nové Město, Czech Republic 5 km Individual F World Cup 3rd64 2 March 2002 Lahti, Finland 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd65 9 March 2002 Falun, Sweden 5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 1st66 16 March 2002 Oslo, Norway 30 km Individual F World Cup 1st
Team podiums
4 victories – (22 , 5 ) 27 podiums – (24 , 4 )
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammate(s)1 1990–91 15 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Championships 2nd Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi2 1991–92 18 February 1992 Albertville, France 4 × 5 km Relay C/F Olympic Games 3rd Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi3 1992–93 26 February 1993 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Championships 2nd Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi4 1993–94 22 February 1994 Lillehammer, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F Olympic Games 3rd Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi5 1994–95 7 February 1995 Hamar, Norway 4 × 3 km Relay F World Cup 3rd Valbusa / Dal Sasso / Paluselli6 1995–96 17 December 1995 Santa Caterina, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 2nd Paluselli / Paruzzi / Di Centa7 14 January 1996 Nové Město, Czech Republic 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Paluselli / Paruzzi / Di Centa8 3 February 1996 Seefeld, Austria 6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F World Cup 1st Di Centa9 10 March 1996 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Giacomuzzi / Di Centa / Dal Sasso 10 1996–97 15 December 1996 Brusson, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 3rd Paruzzi / Valbusa / Dal Sasso11 19 January 1997 Lahti, Finland 8 × 1.5 km Team Sprint FWorld Cup 1st Valbusa12 16 March 1997 Oslo, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 3rd Paruzzi / Peyrot / Valbusa13 1997–98 23 November 1997 Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Moroder / Valbusa / Paruzzi14 7 December 1997 Santa Caterina, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 3rd Paruzzi / Moroder / Valbusa 15 14 December 1997 Val di Fiemme, Italy 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 2nd Paruzzi / Di Centa / Valbusa16 1998–99 29 November 1998 Muonio, Finland 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 2nd Moroder / Paruzzi / Valbusa 17 20 December 1998 Davos, Switzerland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 2nd Paruzzi / Confortola / Valbusa18 10 January 1999 Nové Město, Czech Republic 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Paruzzi / Confortola / Valbusa19 26 February 1999 Ramsau, Austria 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Championships 2nd Valbusa / Paruzzi / Confortola 20 14 March 1999 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Valbusa / Paruzzi / Confortola 21 1999–00 8 December 1999 Asiago, Italy Team Sprint F World Cup 2nd Moroder22 27 February 2000 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay F World Cup 3rd Paruzzi / Valbusa / Confortola 23 2000–01 13 December 2000 Clusone, Italy 6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F World Cup 2nd Valbusa24 13 January 2001 Soldier Hollow, United States 4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup 1st Valbusa / Paruzzi / Paluselli25 2001–02 16 December 2001 Davos, Switzerland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Paluselli / Paruzzi / Follis26 2 March 2002 Lahti, Finland 4 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F World Cup 3rd Philippot27 10 March 2002 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Valbusa / Paruzzi / Paluselli