Antonietta Di Martino (born 1 June 1978) is a retired Italian high jumper. She currently holds the Italian national women's high jump record at 2.03 metres for outdoor events and 2.04 metres for indoor events. She also currently holds the women's all-time highest jump-differential, meaning she has jumped the highest (0.35 metres) more than her own height.

Antonietta Di Martino
Di Martino in a G.S. Fiamme Gialle jersey.
Personal information
National teamItaly: 26 caps (2000-2011)[1]
Born (1978-06-01) 1 June 1978 (age 46)
Cava de' Tirreni, Italy
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight57 kg (126 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
EventHigh jump
ClubG.S. Fiamme Gialle
Retired2012[note 1]
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships 0 1 2
World Indoor Championships 0 1 0
European Indoor Championships 1 1 0
Mediterranean Games 1 0 0
European Cup (Super League) 1 1 1
Total 3 4 3
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2007 Osaka High jump
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Berlin High jump
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Daegu High jump
World Indoor Championships
Silver medal – second place 2012 Istanbul High jump
European Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 2011 Paris High jump
Silver medal – second place 2007 Birmingham High jump
European Cup
Gold medal – first place 2010 Bergen High jump
Silver medal – second place 2008 Annecy High jump
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Leiria High jump
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 2009 Pescara High jump

Her first significant international achievement was winning silver medal at the 2007 European Indoor Championships in Birmingham. In the same year, she won the silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka. After a disappointing Olympics in Beijing, she won her first gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in 2011 in Paris and the bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. In 2012, she won another silver medal at the World Indoor Championships.

Biography

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Early years (1990–2001)

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Di Martino was born in Cava de' Tirreni. Her athletics history began at the age of 12 at the Youth Games, which highlighted her beginnings. Coincidentally, the high jump was not her first specialty. For much of her youth, she practiced the javelin throw and continued trying for multiple disciplines. She debuted in the national team for heptathlon in the European Cup in 2001.

Early achievements (2001–2006)

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Her skills as a high jumper were first discovered in July 2001, during the Italian Championship in Catania when her jump raised her personal best from 1.93 to 1.98 meters, thus equalling the personal best of accomplished Italian high-jumper Antonella Bevilacqua. A month later, she was able to reach the world finals where she finished twelfth at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. In 2006, she finished fifth at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow and tenth at the European Championships in Gothenburg.

The Golden year - 2007

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In February 2007, she cleared 2.00 metres in Banská Bystrica, breaking Sara Simeoni's previous Italian indoor record of 1.98 m. She followed this up with a silver medal at the 2007 European Indoor Championships,[2] where she jumped 1.96 m.

Di Martino also won the silver medal at 2007 World Championships, having jumped 2.03 m. Her 2008 season was not so successful and she managed only the tenth position at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and closed the year carrying a serious toe injury, making her consider retiring from the sport.[3]

Her return (2009–2012)

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Di Martino in action at ISTAF (2010)

In September 2009, she changed coach and a resurgence in her form. She won the Italian Indoor Championships, but illness ruled her out of the 2009 European Indoor Championships a few months later.[3] She took bronze at the 2009 European Team Championships and soon after, she beat Blanka Vlašić to win the Golden Gala meeting, jumping 2.00 m in Rome.[4] She cleared 1.99 m at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, securing a fourth-place finish. She capped off the year with a bronze at the final edition of the World Athletics Final.[3]

Antonietta Di Martino won the gold medal at the 2010 European Team Championships, but did not even pass the qualifying round at the 2010 European Athletics Championships. She rebounded at the start of the 2011 season, jumping to an Italian indoor record of 2.04 m in Banská Bystrica in Slovakia.[5] She continued with her good form in March by winning the European Indoor Championship in Paris with 2.01 m.

Records and achievements

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Her personal best outdoor jump is 2.03 metres, achieved on 24 June 2007, in Milan by surpassing her own previous Italian record of 2.02 m, while her best indoor result came at an indoor high jump meeting in Slovakia on 9 February 2011 with a new national record of 2.04 m. Standing at only 1.69 m, this jump is the unofficial women's world record for the highest jump over her own height (at 35 cm).[6] Di Martino used to be active in heptathlon, achieving a personal best of 5542 points (2001).

Missing the 2012 Summer Olympics

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Di Martino suffered an injury on her knee in April 2012,[7] just four months before the Olympic Games. She was forced to temporarily stop training. However, the National Athletics Federation (FIDAL) underestimate the nature of the injury, which was diagnosed in the three weeks of rehabilitation. But less than a month before the Olympics, they learned that the injury was more serious than expected, forcing her to undergo surgery, ruling her out of London.[8] Her knee surgery was performed just a few days before the race in the Olympics high jump.[9]

Her coach in an interview, accused the FIDAL have underestimated the nature of the injury and failing to ensure an athlete who has contributed immensely to Italian sport the right care at the time of rehabilitation.

National records

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  • High jump outdoor: 2.03 m (  Milan, 24 June 2007 and   Osaka, 2 September 2007) - current holder
  • High jump indoor: 2.04 m (  Banská Bystrica, 9 February 2009) - current holder

Achievements

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Di Martino celebrates her silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka
 
The podium of 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul

Amtonietta Di Martino made 12 career jumps over 2.00 m (bolded in the table).

Year Competition Venue Position Event Measure Note
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Canada 12th High jump 1,85 m [note 2]
2006 World Indoor Championships Moscow, Russia 5th High jump 1,96 m
European Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 10th High jump 1,92 m
2007 European Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 2nd High jump 1,96 m [10]
World Championships Ozaka, Japan 2nd High jump 2,03 m  
2008 World Indoor Championships Valencia, Spain 10th High jump 1,93 m
European Cup Annecy, France 2nd High jump 1,95 m
Olympic Games Beijing, China 7th High jump 1.93 m [note 3]
2009 European Team Championships Leiria, Portugal 3d High jump 2,00 m
Mediterranean Games Pescara, Italy 1st High jump 1,97 m
World Championships Berlin, Germany 3rd High jump 1,99 m [11]
2010 European Team Championships Bergen, Norway 1st High jump 2,00 m
Diamond League 2nd High jump details
2011 European Indoor Championships Paris, France 1st High jump 2,01 m
World Championships Daegu, South Korea 3d High jump 2,00 m
2012 World Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 2nd High jump 1,95 m

Others meetings and championships

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Measure Note
2006 British Grand Prix Gateshead, United Kingdom 3rd High jump 1,94 m
Golden Gala Rome, Italy 11th High jump 1,80 m
Memorial Van Damme Brussels, Belgium 5th High jump 1,95 m
2007 Europa SC High Jump Banská Bystrica, Slovakia 2nd High jump 2,00 m
Memorial Primo Nebiolo Turin, Italy 1st High jump 2,02 m  
Bislett Games Oslo, Norway 6th High jump 1,90 m
European Cup (first league) Milan, Italy 1st High jump 2,03 m  
IAAF World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 2nd High jump 1,97 m
2009 Golden Gala Rome, Italy 1st High jump 2,00 m
IAAF World Athletics Final Thessaloniki, Greece 3rd High jump 1,97 m
2010 Golden Gala Rome, Italy 2nd High jump 1,95 m
Italian Athletics Championships Grosseto, Italy 1st High jump 2,01 m
2011 Europa SC High Jump Banská Bystrica, Slovakia 1st High jump 2,04 m   [note 4]
Spanish Athletics Championships Málaga, Spain 1st High jump 2,00 m
Rieti Meeting Rieti, Italy 1st High jump 1,96 m

National championships

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Antonietta Di Martino has won the individual national championship 10 times.[12][13]

  • 6 wins in High jump outdoor (2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)
  • 4 wins in High jump indoor (2003, 2006, 2007, 2009)

Progression

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Antonietta Di Martino ranked 15 times in the top 25 of the world for the season list.[14] Her 2.04 m indoor is also the 8th best performance of all-time.[15]

High Jump Differentials

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Antonietta Di Martino at the 2009 World Championships high jump final.

All time lists of athletes with the highest recorded jumps above their own height.[16][17]

Athlete Born Tall Jump Year Diff.
1   Antonietta Di Martino 1978 1.69 2.04i 2011 0.35
2   Kajsa Bergqvist 1976 1.75 2.08i 2006 0.33
  Niki Bakoyianni 1968 1.70 2.03 1998
4   Yolanda Henry 1964 1.68 2.00i 1990 0.32
  Emilia Dragieva 1965 1.68 2.00i 1987
6   Marie Collonvillé 1973 1.63 1.94 1997 0.31

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Officially announced at 2015 Golden Gala.
  2. ^ She jumped a better measure (1.91 m) in qualify.
  3. ^ After the disqualification of three athletes for doping.
  4. ^ She also jumped 2.02 m before in same race.

References

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  1. ^ "Annuario FIDAL dell'atletica 2010" (PDF) (in Italian). asdpedaggio-castiglionetorinese.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  2. ^ Gordon, Ed (14 February 2007). "Holm 2.37, and Veneva 2.02 in Banská Bystrica". IAAF. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
  3. ^ a b c Sampaolo, Diego (21 January 2010). From brink of retirement, Di Martino finds new motivation. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-01-30.
  4. ^ Ramsak, Bob (10 July 2009). "IAAF: Gay powers back with 9.77 in Rome – REPORT - ÅF Golden League| News | iaaf.org". iaaf.org. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  5. ^ Gordon, Ed (10 February 2011). Ukhov again over 2.38m, Di Martino surprises with 2.04m in Banska Bystrica. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-14.
  6. ^ "List for unofficial world record of difference between personal best and standing height". STEFAN HOLM. Homepage of Stefan Holm. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Esami clinici per la Di Martino". FIDAL (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Di Martino l'Olimpiade ancora in forse". FIDAL (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Di Martino operata al ginocchio". FIDAL (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Osaka 2007 - High Jump W FINAL". IAAF. iaaf.org. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Sanctions for anti-doping rule violations in athletics as of 29 January 2018". IAAF. iaaf.org. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018. CHICHEROVA Anna (Date of birth 22.07.82) RUS In competition, "XXIX Olympic Games", Beijing, CHN 24.08.08 2 years ineligibility 01.07.16-30.06.18 From 24.08.08 to 23.08.10
  12. ^ ""CAMPIONATI "ASSOLUTI" ITALIANE SUL PODIO TRICOLORE – 1923 2012" (PDF). SPORT OLIMPICO. sportolimpico.it. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  13. ^ "ITALIAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS". GBR ATHLETICS. gbrathletics.com. 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  14. ^ "Track and Field Statistics - Antonietta Di Martino&#124". TRACK FIELD BRIMKSTER. trackfield.brinkster.net. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  15. ^ "High Jump- Women - Senior - Indoor". IAAF. iaaf.org. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  16. ^ "High Jump Differentials". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  17. ^ "50 cm club - Alltime list in jump above own height". Retrieved 24 April 2021.
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