Katia Zini

Katia Zini ( born June 23, 1981 in Sondalo ) is a former Italian Shorttrackerin.

Biography

Zini started for the club Ghiaccio Club Livigno and trained as a sports soldier army on ice and sports center in Bormio. In 1998, at the age of 16, she was admitted to the national team. Zini took between 2002 and 2010 participated in three consecutive Olympic Games and won a bronze medal. In European Championships she belongs with ten medals, nine of them in gold, to the Italy's most successful participants. In 2006, she was honored for her achievements in the sport with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. She ended her active career in 2010.

Zini comes from a loving family skating. Even her cousin Mara was a successful Shorttrackerin and for many years its direct rival.

Sports career

Their first international championship contested Zini in 1998 in St. Louis, where she immediately reached two finals at the Junior World Championships and over 1000m won the silver medal. A year later, she won the European Championships in 1999 be in Oberstdorf with the relay gold medal. In the season 1999/ 00 she made in the adult area, finally the breakthrough into the world top. It started with a total of four World Cups and even reached a final and one semi-final eight. About 500 m, 1000 m and 1500 m respectively, it was ninth in the World Cup discipline standings in the overall World Cup rankings decades. At the Junior World Championships in Székesfehérvár, she won over 500 gold m and 1500 m bronze. A little later Zini won their first medals in individual competition at the European Championships in Bormio home. With the season it was European Champion in the all around, she won silver after it was over 500 m First and above 1500 m and 3000 m each second. Zini also took part in the World Team Championships in The Hague, where the Italian team finished fourth, and in the World Championship in Sheffield, where she reached over 1500 m as the best result the semi-finals. In the 2000 /01 season Zini reached two finals in the World Cup in a single race. About 1000 m it was in Graz and Second -placed for the first time in the World Cup on the podium. She started at the World Championships in Jeonju, reaching over three individual distances in each case the semi-finals. In the Olympic season 2001 /02, Zini could not improve in the World Cup. Your best results were several semi-finals, mostly above 1,500 meters. They successfully, however, was at the European Championships in Grenoble. Zini took over all four distances to the final. Her best result was the third place above 1000 m, in the all around, she finished fourth, with the season they won the gold medal. In Salt Lake City Zini first participated in the Olympics. About 1000 m and 1500 m, it was eliminated in the flow, with the season they won the B final and finished fifth in the final standings.

In the season 2002/ 03 Zini was especially successful in season and team competitions. She reached the World Cup for the first time in the relay a podium finish. At the European Championships in St. Petersburg, she defended of the season the title from the previous year and at the World Team Championships in Sofia, she won her first World Cup as third medal. At the World Championships in Warsaw she missed as fourth in the relay another medal scarce. In the 2003 /04 season, Zini placed in a total of four World Cup races of the season on the podium. At the European Championships in Zoetermeer she reached two singles finals and won the silver medal over 500 meters, with the season, she won silver also. In the World Team Championships in St. Petersburg Zini was like last year with the Italian team third parties. Little successful was the season 2004/05. In two World Cup semi-finals remained in single race Zinis best results. At the European Championships in Turin she missed as fourth in the relay medals scarce, the catchment her best result at the World Championships in Beijing remained the semi-finals over 1500 m. The 2005/06 season began initially with little success, in the World Cup remained good rankings in individual races from. On the way home World Cup in Bormio, however, Zini was third in the relay. Pleasing in their view, the European Championship in Krynica Zdrój. Zini won bronze in the all around after they reached three individual finals and won the 3000 m distance victory. With the season they won their fourth and finally last European title. In Turin Zini started in the Olympic games. Over 1500 m, she reached the semi-finals and was in the final standings decades, with the season, she won a surprise bronze and celebrated the biggest sporting success in their careers. End of the season they won the bronze medal in the relay at the World Championships in Minneapolis.

Zini denied in 2006/ 07 their most successful World Cup season. In addition to numerous semi-finals she reached over 1000 m and 1500 m respectively, a final, more than 1000 m, it was in Heerenveen Second, reaching their second World Cup podium finish in a single race. In 1500 m - discipline World Cup they finished third. With the season they achieved two podiums, including in Budapest, the only World Cup victory of her career. At the European Championships in Sheffield, she was, as last year, third in the all-around and won the silver medal of the season. Over 1500 meters she finished second, about 3000 m third parties. At the World Championships in Milan, the collection was the semi-finals over 1500 m their best result. In the 2007 /08 season Zini could only convince in relay events. In the World Cup they reached two podium finishes in the relay. Your best result at the season's highlights was the fourth place in the relay at the World Championships in Gangneung. Also in the 2008/ 09 season, Zini placed twice in the relay on a World Cup podium. However, in individual races they could not convince again. In the World and European Championships she was not considered. She took part in Heerenveen at the World Team Championships, where the Italian team was fifth as the winner of the B- finals. Even in her last season 2009/10, Zini could not increase in individual races and missed again to participate in the World and European Championships. However, they took part in Vancouver on her third Olympic Games. There, she divorced about 1500 m from the lead, with the season they finished sixth. The home World Cup in Bormio was Zinis last international championship. With the team, she won her fourth World Championship bronze medal and celebrated the successful conclusion of their careers.