Lillehammer, 13 February 1994, XVII Olympic Winter Games. Cross country skiing, medal ceremony for the women's 15km free event: Manuela DI CENTA displays her gold medal with a beaming smile. Credit: Getty Images/BRUNSKILL CliveBorn: 31 January 1963
Birthplace: Paluzzo (Italy)
Nationality: Italy
Sport: Skiing
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Sarajevo 1984
Calgary 1988
Albertville 1992
Lillehammer 1994
Nagano 1998
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 2
Silver: 2
Bronze: 3
Other results:
World Championships
Silver: 4 (91, 93, 95)
Bronze: 3 (91, 95)
A Medal At Every Distance
Manuela Di Centa had competed in 23 Olympic and world championship races without winning a gold medal. At the 1992 Albertville Games, she won a bronze medal with the italian team in the 4x5km relay. Then it was discovered that she had a malfunctioning thyroid gland. After being hospitalised and treated, she returned to the Olympics in Lillehammer in 1994 and earned medals in every one of the five cross-country skiing events: gold at 15km and 30km, silver in the 5km race and the pursuit, and a bronze in the 4x5km relay. She added one more relay bronze at the 1998 Olympics (4x5km relay).
