Cross-country skiing, Giorgio Di Centa’s 50th anniversary. And the dynasty continues with Martina

Giorgio Di Centa turns 50. Brother of Manuela, the queen of the Lillehammer 1994 Games, father of Martina, promising blue and competing in the Beijing 2022 Games: the champion from Paluzza (Udine) is in the middle of a fund dynasty that has been renewed since the 80s.

Career

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Giorgio retired at the age of 44 in Selva di Valgardena (Bz) to enter the technical structure of the Nordic area of ​​the Sports Center, in Auronzo di Cadore (Bl). An extraordinary career: among the main successes, the double Olympic gold in Turin 2006 (50 km and relay) and the silver in the 4×10 km in 2002 in Salt Lake City stand out. At the World Championships, on the other hand, Di Centa collected silver both in the Pursuit in Oberstdorf 2005 and in the 30 km in Liberec 2009. In the World Cup, where he made his debut in 1993 in Santa Caterina Valfurva (53rd in the 30 km tc), he collected his first points in 1995; 6 victories (the 15 km tl in Canmore in 2010 and another 5 between relay and Sprint team), as well as 22 other podiums, the first of which in the 15 km tl in Hakuba (Japan) in 1997, beaten by his friend and colleague Silvio Fauner. His best placement in the general classification was a 5th place in 2008. He tried to return to Davos in the 30 km long World Cup, thanks to an overwhelming start to the season in the national field: but the 44 years on narrow skis feel for anyone. At the level of the Italian Championships he has totaled 27 “absolute” titles.

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Giorgio is a model, as a cross-country skier and as a man. Very different from his sister Manuela. “He is a quiet man. Manuela commands, he obeys “, once summed up Alessandro Vanoi, the historical technical director of the fund:” He has a huge problem: a monstrous asthma “. snow: “I have had asthma since the age of two and will have it all my life, an allergic asthma: to mites, pollen, dogs, cats. Everything. I do Pulmaxan and Salmetadur inhalations” . Therefore his sporting exploits aroused admiration. Giorgio is a role model for asthma sufferers. He says: “At the children’s hospital in Tolmezzo they take me as an example. Even with asthma you can compete at the highest levels ”. Giorgio was the protagonist of the combined with Pietro Piller Cottrer, the other Olympic relay who mocked him at the 2006 Turin Games for the bronze in the 30 km only to make up for it with the 50 km gold (and triumph together with Piller, Fulvio Valbusa and Cristian Zorzi in the relay). The turning point in his brother’s career took place at the 2005 World Championships in Oberstdorf: a silver in the combined that gave him the right awareness to win a year later in the Olympics at home. The gold in the 50 km allowed him to be awarded by his sister in the closing ceremony of the Turin Games. Strong chills, unforgettable emotions.

Private life

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Married to Rita, who followed him to the races, Giorgio was the standard-bearer at the Vancouver 2010 Games. Speaking of his longevity, he said: “After so many years of activity, it’s hard to stay at the top so you need to train for defined goals. We will hold out until Sochi 2014, then it will be right to give space to the youngest. I see my teammates particularly motivated and eager to roll up their sleeves. Milan-Cortina 2026 for my daughter? The fact of playing at home will give us an additional competitive charge ”.