Luigi Cantone

Luigi " Gino " Cantone ( born July 21, 1917 in Robbio (PV ), Italy, † November 6, 1997 in Novara ) was an Italian fencer and Olympic champion.

Life and career

Cantone learned at the age of 15 years in the Fencing Fencing Master Francesco Visconti in Vercelli. From Vercelli came Alfredo Pezzana, the 1936 was made ​​with the Italian team epee Olympic champion and the Cantone emulated. Cantone's first international assignment was the World Student Championship 1939 in Vienna. After the Second World War Cantone 1946 finished in the Italian championship in second place behind Dario Mangiarotti. In the 1947 World Fencing Championships Cantone won the bronze medal with the Italian team epee.

At the 1948 Olympic Games in London, the team decision took place on 5 and 6 August. Cantone came in the round of last four only in the battle against the later fourth from Denmark to use, with 2 wins and 2 losses, he worked for a total score of 12:4 not in a convincing form. So Cantone had to watch as his teammates lost the decisive battle against France, the Italian team with Cantone received the silver medal. Nevertheless, he was ready because Edoardo Mangiarotti was struck with an injury to his hand on call for the individual competition on August 9. Edoardo Mangiarotti occurred then but in the individual, but whose brother Dario had to fit a foot injury. With Edoardo Mangiarotti, Carlo Agostoni and Luigi Cantone reached all three Italians the Round of 10 fencers in which everyone had to compete against each on three hits. Cantone lost his first two fights against Agostoni and Mangiarotti and then won all the other fights. With his victory against the Swiss Oswald Zappelli be Cantone secured the gold medal ahead of Zappelli and Mangiarotti. A year later, Cantone won together with the brothers Mangiarotti and Roberto Battaglia, Antonio Mandruzzato and Antonio Spallino the team title at the World Fencing Championship in 1949 in Cairo.