Giorgio Di Centa
Encyclopedia
Giorgio Di Centa (born October 7, 1972, Tolmezzo
, province of Udine
) is an Italian
cross country skier who won two gold medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics
, including the individual 50 km freestyle race. He is brother to Olympic gold medalist cross country skier Manuela Di Centa
.
Di Centa began cross county skiing very early in a family in which his elder brother Andrea was also a professional skier. At the age of 16 he became a member of Italy's junior team while also skiing for the Carabinieri
sport team. He became a member of Italy's senior team in 1995. He finished 8th in the 30 km event at the 1998 Winter Olympics
.
After a silver medal at the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
in the double pursuit and a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics
in the 4 x 10 km.
Di Centa, who had never won an individual race in the cross country skiing World Cup
, arrived in great shape for the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
. He would finish a disappointing fourth in the 30 km double pursuit, losing a medal at the finish to fellow Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer
. The two were also key players in the strongest Italian relay team ever, winning gold in the 4 x 10 km race.
Di Centa's greatest victory was in the 50 km race where he defeated Russia
n Eugeni Dementiev
by 0.8 seconds, the closest 50 km event in Olympic history, eclipsing Thomas Wassberg
's 4.9 second victory over Gunde Svan
(both Sweden
) at the 1984 Winter Olympics
in Sarajevo
.
The medals ceremony for the 50 km occurred during the Closing Ceremony where Di Centa's sister, Olympic medalist Manuela Di Centa
, presented him with the gold medal.
He won a bronze medal in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec
.
For the 2010 Winter Olympics
, a picture of Di Centa in competition during the 50 km
event at the previous Olympics was used as a pictogram
for the cross-country skiing
events. In September 2009, it was announced that Di Centa was named flagbearer for the opening ceremony
for the 2010 Games.
Tolmezzo
Tolmezzo is a town and comune in the province of Udine, part of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-eastern Italy.-Geography:Tolmezzo is located at the feet of the Strabut Mountain, between the Tagliamento River and the Bût stream. Nearby is the Mount Amariana...
, province of Udine
Province of Udine
The Province of Udine is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, bordering Austria and Slovenia. Its capital is the city of Udine....
) is an Italian
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...
cross country skier who won two gold medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, including the individual 50 km freestyle race. He is brother to Olympic gold medalist cross country skier Manuela Di Centa
Manuela Di Centa
Manuela Di Centa is an Italian cross-country skier and former Olympic athlete. She is the cousin of former track and field athlete Venanzio Ortis and the sister of cross-country skier Giorgio Di Centa.-Career:...
.
Di Centa began cross county skiing very early in a family in which his elder brother Andrea was also a professional skier. At the age of 16 he became a member of Italy's junior team while also skiing for the Carabinieri
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
sport team. He became a member of Italy's senior team in 1995. He finished 8th in the 30 km event at the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
.
After a silver medal at the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2005 took place February 16-27, 2005 in Oberstdorf, Germany for the second time after hosting it previously in 1987. The ski jumping team normal hill returned after not being held in 2003...
in the double pursuit and a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in the 4 x 10 km.
Di Centa, who had never won an individual race in the cross country skiing World Cup
Cross-country skiing World Cup champions
The tables below list the FIS Cross-Country World Cup champions. The medalists are the three contestants with the highest total scores at the end of the cross-country skiing World Cup season...
, arrived in great shape for the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. He would finish a disappointing fourth in the 30 km double pursuit, losing a medal at the finish to fellow Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer
Pietro Piller Cottrer
Pietro Piller Cottrer is an Italian cross-country skier who won gold medal in the 4 x 10 km relay at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He was born at Sappada, province of Belluno....
. The two were also key players in the strongest Italian relay team ever, winning gold in the 4 x 10 km race.
Di Centa's greatest victory was in the 50 km race where he defeated Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Eugeni Dementiev
Eugeni Dementiev
Yevgeny Alexandrovich Dementyev is a retired Russian cross-country skier. He attended Children and Youth Sports School of Sovetsky District, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, where his first trainer was Valery Ukhov. Dementyev's first international success was in 2001 at the Junior World Championship...
by 0.8 seconds, the closest 50 km event in Olympic history, eclipsing Thomas Wassberg
Thomas Wassberg
Thomas Wassberg is a Swedish former cross-country skier. A fast skating style - push for every leg - is still called "Wassberg" after him in several countries....
's 4.9 second victory over Gunde Svan
Gunde Svan
Gunde Svan is a former Swedish cross-country skier and auto racing driver. During his career he won a total of four gold, one silver and one bronze medals at the Winter Olympics...
(both Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) at the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
.
The medals ceremony for the 50 km occurred during the Closing Ceremony where Di Centa's sister, Olympic medalist Manuela Di Centa
Manuela Di Centa
Manuela Di Centa is an Italian cross-country skier and former Olympic athlete. She is the cousin of former track and field athlete Venanzio Ortis and the sister of cross-country skier Giorgio Di Centa.-Career:...
, presented him with the gold medal.
He won a bronze medal in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec
Liberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
.
For the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, a picture of Di Centa in competition during the 50 km
Cross-country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
The cross-country skiing events at the 2006 Winter Olympics featured 12 events, from February 11, 2006 to 26 February 2006 at Pragelato in Turin.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-Participating nations:...
event at the previous Olympics was used as a pictogram
Pictogram
A pictograph, also called pictogram or pictogramme is an ideogram that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and graphic systems in which the characters are to considerable extent pictorial in appearance.Pictography is a...
for the cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The cross-country skiing competition of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were held at Whistler Olympic Park. The events were held between 15 and 28 February 2010.- Medal table :- Men's events :- Women's events :- Competition schedule :...
events. In September 2009, it was announced that Di Centa was named flagbearer for the opening ceremony
Italy at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Italy participated at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:*Federica Brignone*Denise Karbon*Christian Deville*Nicole Gius*Elena Fanchini*Peter Fill*Werner Heel*Christof Innerhofer...
for the 2010 Games.