Sara Simeoni Italian athlete, high jumper. Date of Birth: 19.04.1953 Country: Italy

Biography of Sara Simeoni

Sara Simeoni is an Italian athlete and high jumper. She was born in Rivoli Veronese, Veneto. Simeoni began her sports career at a young age, focusing exclusively on athletics, specifically high jump. In 1971, she made her international debut at the European Championships in Helsinki, where she jumped 178 centimeters and placed 9th. In 1976, Simeoni achieved her first victory in Montreal, winning a silver medal with a personal record jump of 1.91 meters. Rosemarie Ackermann was the only one who surpassed Simeoni, jumping 1.93 meters. In August 1978, Simeoni set a new personal, national, and world record by clearing the bar at 2.01 meters in Brescia. She repeated this jump in Prague, earning her a gold medal at the European level.

Simeoni's national record remained unbroken until June 2007, when Antonietta Di Martino jumped 2.02 meters. In 1980, Simeoni set a new Olympic record with a jump of 1.97 meters, earning her the gold medal at the Moscow Olympics. Despite facing several significant injuries, Simeoni managed to recover remarkably quickly. At the 1984 Olympics, she had the honor of carrying the Italian flag during the opening ceremony. During the competition, Simeoni proved herself to be an exceptional jumper, challenging her main competitor, Ulrike Meyfarth from Germany. Simeoni jumped 2 meters for the first time since 1978, but Meyfarth surpassed her by jumping 2.02 meters, leaving Simeoni with the silver medal.

In addition to her Olympic achievements, Simeoni also won two bronze medals at the European Championships and 23 national titles. Her Italian high jump record remained unbeaten for 29 years, until Antonietta Di Martino surpassed it. Even now, after Di Martino's jump, Simeoni is rightfully regarded as one of the most outstanding Italian athletes in track and field.