Agostino Abbagnale
Encyclopedia
Agostino Abbagnale is an Italian
rower
and Triple Olympic
gold medalist. He is also the younger brother of multiple Olympic medalists Carmine Abbagnale
and Giuseppe Abbagnale
.
Abbagnale won his first gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
. He stroked the Italian Quadruple scull (4x). His brothers Carmine and Giuseppe won gold medals at the same games in the pair with coxswain event (2+).
After the medal ceremony, Abbagnale, who is a poor swimmer, jumped into the rowing lake and landed on one of his partners Davide Tizzano
, knocking the gold medal out of his hand. It took scuba divers two days to recover the missing medal.
Shortly thereafter, Abbagnale began suffering from thrombosis
which caused blood clots in the veins of his legs. He had to give up rowing for 5 years which prevented him from rowing in the 1992 Summer Olympics
.
Abbagnale returned to the Olympic stage at the 1996 Summer Olympics
teaming with Davide Tizzano
to win the Gold in the Double Scull (2x).
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
, Abbagnale repeated his gold medal performance winning the Quadruple Scull (4x).
A flare up in his thrombosis forced Abbagnale to retire in 2003.
In 2006, Abbagnale was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal
, given by FISA, the governing board for international rowing. The Thomas Keller Medal is awarded for an outstanding career in international rowing. Abbagnale's brothers Carmine and Giuseppe had been awarded the Thomas Keller Medal in 1997.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
rower
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and Triple Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist. He is also the younger brother of multiple Olympic medalists Carmine Abbagnale
Carmine Abbagnale
Carmine Abbagnale is an Italian competition rower and Olympic champion.-Career:Abbagnale received a gold medal in coxed pairs, with Giuseppe di Capua and his older brother Giuseppe, at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and again at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul...
and Giuseppe Abbagnale
Giuseppe Abbagnale
Giuseppe Abbagnale is an Italian competition rower and Olympic champion.He received a gold medal in coxed pairs, with Giuseppe di Capua and his younger brother Carmine, at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and again at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul...
.
Abbagnale won his first gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. He stroked the Italian Quadruple scull (4x). His brothers Carmine and Giuseppe won gold medals at the same games in the pair with coxswain event (2+).
After the medal ceremony, Abbagnale, who is a poor swimmer, jumped into the rowing lake and landed on one of his partners Davide Tizzano
Davide Tizzano
Davide Tizzano is a retired rower from Italy and a double Olympic gold medalist. He won his first gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, in the quadruple scull. Eight years later he formed a team with Agostino Abbagnale, with whom he triumphed in the men's double scull event.-References:*...
, knocking the gold medal out of his hand. It took scuba divers two days to recover the missing medal.
Shortly thereafter, Abbagnale began suffering from thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
which caused blood clots in the veins of his legs. He had to give up rowing for 5 years which prevented him from rowing in the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
.
Abbagnale returned to the Olympic stage at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
teaming with Davide Tizzano
Davide Tizzano
Davide Tizzano is a retired rower from Italy and a double Olympic gold medalist. He won his first gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, in the quadruple scull. Eight years later he formed a team with Agostino Abbagnale, with whom he triumphed in the men's double scull event.-References:*...
to win the Gold in the Double Scull (2x).
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Abbagnale repeated his gold medal performance winning the Quadruple Scull (4x).
A flare up in his thrombosis forced Abbagnale to retire in 2003.
In 2006, Abbagnale was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal
Thomas Keller Medal
The Thomas Keller Medal is given by the International Rowing Federation for an outstanding international career in the sport of rowing. It is the highest honor in rowing and is awarded to any athlete within five years of his/her retirement from the sport...
, given by FISA, the governing board for international rowing. The Thomas Keller Medal is awarded for an outstanding career in international rowing. Abbagnale's brothers Carmine and Giuseppe had been awarded the Thomas Keller Medal in 1997.
Achievements
- OlympicRowing at the Summer OlympicsRowing at the Summer Olympics has been part of the competition since the 1900 Summer Olympics. Rowing was on the program at the 1896 Summer Olympics but was cancelled due to bad weather. Only men were allowed to compete until the women's events were introduced at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal...
Medals: 3 Gold - World ChampionshipWorld Rowing ChampionshipsThe World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . It is a week long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962...
Medals: 2 Gold and 2 Silver. - Thomas Keller MedalThomas Keller MedalThe Thomas Keller Medal is given by the International Rowing Federation for an outstanding international career in the sport of rowing. It is the highest honor in rowing and is awarded to any athlete within five years of his/her retirement from the sport...
Awarded in 2006 for an outstanding career in international rowing.
Olympic Games
- 2000 - Gold, Quadruple Scull
- 1996 - Gold, Double Scull
- 1988 - Gold, Quadruple Sculls
World Championships
- 2002 - Silver, Double Scull
- 1999 - 7th, Quadruple Scull
- 1998 - Gold, Quadruple Scull
- 1997 - Gold, Quadruple Scull
- 1995 - 13th, Double Scull
- 1987 - 11th, Quadruple Scull
- 1985 - Silver, Eight