Giada D'Antonio is causing a sensation in her very first professional season. Although the 16-year-old from southern Italy's first World Cup appearances have not been crowned with success, she can now look forward to making the Olympic squad.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The 16-year-old Italian Giada D'Antonio has made headlines in recent months with strong performances in FIS races.
- D'Antonio has now been called up for the Olympic Games in Cortina. Just like 17-year-old Anna Trocker.
- The Italian team is short-staffed in the slalom. With Lara Della Mea and Martina Peterlini, only two athletes have met the criteria for the Olympics.
On November 19, Giada D'Antonio caused a big surprise on the Schilthorn. In her very first professional outing, the Italian with bib number 82 won a FIS slalom - a small skiing fairytale.
With this victory, she prevented a Swiss 12-fold success. D'Antonio showed impressively that her triumph was no coincidence just one day later: with bib number 63, she took victory again, this time ahead of 13 Swiss women.
Her meteoric rise continued in the weeks that followed. Within a month, D'Antonio traveled to the USA, where she competed in the Nor-Am Cup, the equivalent of the European Cup, in Copper Mountain. In two giant slaloms, she finished 11th and 13th - again from very far back.
Only a matter of time until the first World Cup points
"Things are moving very quickly for me at the moment, I didn't think I would be selected for the races in the USA," D'Antonio told blue News in December. A short time later, she was allowed to compete in the World Cup for the first time.
The teenager has competed against the world's best female skiers three times so far. Even though she has not yet scored any World Cup points - in Spindleruv Mlyn D'Antonio missed out on the second run by just one hundredth of a second - the Italian Ski Association has high hopes that Giada D'Antonio will be called up for the Winter Olympics. Just like 17-year-old Anna Trocker from South Tyrol, who is also allowed to travel to Cortina.
Italy does not have an oversupply, especially in the slalom. With Lara Della Mea and Martina Peterlini, there are only two permanent athletes at the Olympics. Now the young racers Trocker and D'Antonio have been given preference over other athletes and can thus gain further experience at the highest level.
