Francesca Porcellato

Francesca Porcellato (born 5 September 1970) is an Italian disabled sportsperson who competed at international level in three different sports. Porcellato began her sporting career as a wheelchair racer competing in six Summer Paralympics before switching to Para Cross-country skiing where she won gold at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in the 1 km sprint.^[2] In 2015, she became six-time UCI Para-cycling World champion.^[1]

Francesca Porcellato

Porcellato in 2018.
Personal information
Nickname	La rossa volante (The flying red)
Born	(1970-09-05) 5 September 1970 (age 54) Castelfranco Veneto, Italy[1]
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Weight	50 kg (110 lb)
Sport
Country	Italy
Sport	Para Athletics Para Cross-country skiing Para Cycling
Club	Gruppo Ciclistico APRE (Para-cycling)[1]
Medal record Representing  Italy Event 1st 2nd 3rd Summer Paralympics 2 4 7 Winter Paralympics 1 0 0 Para Athletics World Championships 4 3 2 Para Cycling World Championships 6 2 0 European Para Championships 1 2 0 Para Nordic Skiing World C'ships 0 1 0 Para Athletics European C'ships 0 7 3 Total 14 19 12 Women's para athletics Paralympic Games 1988 Seoul 100 m T53 1988 Seoul 4x100 m T53 1988 Seoul 200 m T53 2004 Athens 100 m T53 2004 Athens 800 m T53 1988 Seoul 4x200 m T53 1988 Seoul 4x400 m T53 1992 Barcelona 400 m TW3 2000 Sydney 100 m T53 2004 Athens 400 m T53 Women's para cross-country skiing Paralympic Games 2010 Vancouver 1 km sprint classic Nordic Skiing World Championships 2011 Khanty 5 km freestyle Women's para-cycling Paralympic Games 2020 Tokyo Time trial H1–3 2016 Rio Time trial H1-2-3 2016 Rio Road race H1-2-3-4 Road World Championships 2015 Nottwil Time Trial H3 2015 Nottwil Road race H3 2017 Pietermaritzburg Time Trial H3 2017 Pietermaritzburg Road race H3 2018 Maniago Time Trial H3 2018 Maniago Road race H3 2022 Baie-Comeau Time trial H3 2022 Baie-Comeau Road race H3 European Championships 2023 Rotterdam Road race H3 2023 Rotterdam Time trial H3 2023 Rotterdam Mixed team relay H1–H5

Porcellato with former Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in 2004.

Porcellato with former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano in 2010.

Biography

Porcellato was hit by a truck when she was 2 years old and it broke her back. She discovered that she is paralyzed. In addition to participation in the Paralympics, she is one of two women to have won four London Marathon wheelchair races, shared with the Russian-born American Tatyana McFadden.^[3] She competed in wheelchair racing at every Summer Paralympic Games from 1988 to 2008, and in 2006 participated in the Winter Paralympics in cross-country sit-skiing. She won a total of two gold, three silver, and five bronze medals, all in athletics.^[4] She won the silver medal in the 800 metres T54 race at the 2009 Mediterranean Games.

Statistics

Paralympic appearances

  She was not present at this edition.

Francesca participated in eleven editions of the Paralympic Games, eight summer and three winter.^[5] She was the flag bearer for Italy at Vancouver 2010.

Sport	1988 Summer	1992 Summer	1996 Summer	2000 Summer	2004 Summer	2006 Winter	2008 Summer	2010 Winter	2012 Summer	2014 Winter	2016 Summer	2018 Winter	2020 Summer	Appearances
Para athletics	X	X	X	X	X		X							6
Para cross-country skiing						X		X		X				3
Para cycling											X		X	2

Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	100 m	200 m	400 m	800 m	4x100 m	4x200 m	4x400 m	5 km freestyle	Time trial	Road race
Para athletics
1988	Summer Paralympics	Seoul
1992	Summer Paralympics	Barcelona
2000	Summer Paralympics	Sydney
2004	Summer Paralympics	Athens
Para cross-country skiing
2010	Winter Paralympics	Vancouver
Para cycling
2016	Summer Paralympics	Rio de Janeiro
2021	Summer Paralympics	Tokyo

Other results

Porcellato won seven International marathons.^[6]

• New York City Marathon
  • Wheelchair race: 2001
• Boston Marathon
  • Wheelchair race: 2015^[7]
• London Marathon
  • Wheelchair race: 2003, 2003, 2005, 2006
• Paris Marathon
  • Wheelchair race: ????

See also

• Italy at the Summer Paralympics - Multiple medallists