Eugenio Monti
Encyclopedia
Eugenio Monti (January 23, 1928 – December 1, 2003) was an Italian
bobsledder. He is one of the most successful athletes in the history of this sport, with ten World championship
medals (of which nine gold) and 6 Olympic
medals, but is known also for an act of sportsmanship
during the 1964 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck
, Austria
that made him the first athlete ever to receive the Pierre de Coubertin medal
.
, Italy
, The Flying Redhead was the best Italian young skier: he won the national titles in slalom
and giant slalom
, and finished third in downhill
, but a 1951 accident stopped his alpine skiing
career when he tore ligaments in both of his knees. Monti switched to bobsleigh
, finding great success as a result. In 1954 he won his first Italian championship and in 1957 won his first world championship.
At the 1956 Winter Olympics
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, he won silver medal
s in the 2-man and 4-man bobsled events. He could not compete in the 1960 Winter Olympics
in Squaw Valley, California
, because the bobsled race was not held for economic reasons (for the only time in the history of the Winter Olympic Games).
But it was during the 1964 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck
that Monti performed the best-known act of his sporting career. Realizing that British
bobsledders Tony Nash
and Robin Dixon had broken a bolt on their sled, Monti lent them the bolt off his sled. The Britons won the gold medal in the 2-man bobsled, while Monti and his teammate took the bronze medal
. Answering critics from the home press, Monti told them "Nash didn't win because I gave him the bolt. He won because he had the fastest run." But that was not his only act of selfless generosity. In the four-man competition, the Canadian
team of Vic Emery
damaged their sled's axle and would have been disqualified had not Monti and his mechanics come to the rescue. The sled was repaired and the Canadian team went on to win the gold medal. For this, he was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal
.
Finally, at the 1968 Winter Olympics
in Grenoble
, France
, a 40-year-old Monti won a gold in both the two-man and four-man events (the only non-German to do so). After his victory, he received Italy's highest civilian honor – the Commendatore of the Italian Republic and then retired to labor in his skiing facilities in Cortina.
Suffering from Parkinson's disease
, Monti committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on December 1, 2003.
Turn 19 at Cesana Pariol
, the site of the 2006 Winter Olympic
bobsled, luge
, and skeleton
competitions, was named for Monti. The bobsleigh track
that Monti competed on for years in Cortina was renamed in his honor following his 2003 death.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
bobsledder. He is one of the most successful athletes in the history of this sport, with ten World championship
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
medals (of which nine gold) and 6 Olympic
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
medals, but is known also for an act of sportsmanship
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
during the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
that made him the first athlete ever to receive the Pierre de Coubertin medal
Pierre de Coubertin medal
The Pierre de Coubertin medal is a special medal given by the International Olympic Committee to those athletes who demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship in Olympic events.The medal was inaugurated in 1964 and named in honour of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic...
.
Biography
Born in ToblachToblach
Toblach is a comune/Gemeinde in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located in the Puster Valley about 110 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 70 km northeast of the city of Bolzano, on the border with Austria.As of November 30, 2010, it had a...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, The Flying Redhead was the best Italian young skier: he won the national titles in slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
and giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
, and finished third in downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
, but a 1951 accident stopped his alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
career when he tore ligaments in both of his knees. Monti switched to bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
, finding great success as a result. In 1954 he won his first Italian championship and in 1957 won his first world championship.
At the 1956 Winter Olympics
1956 Winter Olympics
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This celebration of the Games was held from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, beat out...
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, he won silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
s in the 2-man and 4-man bobsled events. He could not compete in the 1960 Winter Olympics
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
in Squaw Valley, California
Squaw Valley Ski Resort
Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe , with 33 chairlifts, and has the only funitel lift in the U.S...
, because the bobsled race was not held for economic reasons (for the only time in the history of the Winter Olympic Games).
But it was during the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
that Monti performed the best-known act of his sporting career. Realizing that British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
bobsledders Tony Nash
Anthony Nash (bobsleigh)
Anthony "Tony" Nash is a British bobsledder who competed in the 1960s. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won the gold in the two-man event at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck....
and Robin Dixon had broken a bolt on their sled, Monti lent them the bolt off his sled. The Britons won the gold medal in the 2-man bobsled, while Monti and his teammate took the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
. Answering critics from the home press, Monti told them "Nash didn't win because I gave him the bolt. He won because he had the fastest run." But that was not his only act of selfless generosity. In the four-man competition, the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
team of Vic Emery
Vic Emery
Victor Emery is a Canadian businessman, gold medallist at the Olympic Winter Games and a world champion bobsledder. He was born in Montreal, Quebec....
damaged their sled's axle and would have been disqualified had not Monti and his mechanics come to the rescue. The sled was repaired and the Canadian team went on to win the gold medal. For this, he was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal
Pierre de Coubertin medal
The Pierre de Coubertin medal is a special medal given by the International Olympic Committee to those athletes who demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship in Olympic events.The medal was inaugurated in 1964 and named in honour of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic...
.
Finally, at the 1968 Winter Olympics
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, a 40-year-old Monti won a gold in both the two-man and four-man events (the only non-German to do so). After his victory, he received Italy's highest civilian honor – the Commendatore of the Italian Republic and then retired to labor in his skiing facilities in Cortina.
Suffering from Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
, Monti committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on December 1, 2003.
Turn 19 at Cesana Pariol
Cesana Pariol
Cesana Pariol was the venue for bobsled, luge and skeleton during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The track, built for the games, is located in Cesana...
, the site of the 2006 Winter Olympic
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
bobsled, luge
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
, and skeleton
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
competitions, was named for Monti. The bobsleigh track
Eugenio Monti track
The Eugenio Monti track is a bobsleigh and skeleton track located in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. It is named after Eugenio Monti , who won six bobsleigh medals at the Winter Olympic Games between 1956 and 1968 and ten medals at the FIBT World Championships between 1957 and 1966...
that Monti competed on for years in Cortina was renamed in his honor following his 2003 death.
Olympic Games
- Gold medal in the two-man at the 1968 Winter OlympicsBobsleigh at the 1968 Winter Olympics-Two-man:There was a tie for first place. Despite initially ruling that both teams would be awarded the gold medals, the judges awarded the sole gold to the Italian team based on their fastest single heat time...
- Gold medal in the four-man at the 1968 Winter Olympics
- Silver medal in the two-man at the 1956 Winter OlympicsBobsleigh at the 1956 Winter Olympics-Medal summary:-Medal table:-References:**...
- Silver medal in the four-man at the 1956 Winter Olympics
- Bronze medal in the two-man at the 1964 Winter OlympicsBobsleigh at the 1964 Winter Olympics-Two-man:A turn at the St. Moritz, Switzerland course is named in honor of Nash and Dixon, called the Nash-Dixon corner.-Four-man:The Canadian four-man bobsleigh team of Kirby, Anakin, and the Emery brothers upset the heavily favored Austrians.-Medal table:...
- Bronze medal in the four-man at the 1964 Winter Olympics
FIBT World Championships
- Gold medal in the two-man in 1957FIBT World Championships 1957The FIBT World Championships 1957 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland for the record eighth time. The Swiss city had hosted the event previously in 1931 , 1935 , 1937 , 1938 , 1939 , 1947, and 1955...
, 1958FIBT World Championships 1958The FIBT World Championships 1958 took place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany for the fourth time. The West German city had hosted the event previously in 1934 , 1938 , and 1953.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man bobsleigh:...
, 1959FIBT World Championships 1959The FIBT World Championships 1959 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland for the record ninth time. The Swiss city had hosted the event previously in 1931 , 1935 , 1937 , 1938 , 1939 , 1947, 1955, and 1957....
, 1960FIBT World Championships 1960The FIBT World Championships 1960 took place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy for the fifth time. The Italian city had hosted the event previously in 1937 , 1939 , 1950, and 1954...
, 1961FIBT World Championships 1961The FIBT World Championships 1961 took place in Lake Placid, New York, United States for the second time after hosting the event previously in 1949.-Two man bobsleigh:Monti won his fifth straight championship in this event, a record that still stands...
, 1963FIBT World Championships 1963The FIBT World Championships 1963 took place in Igls, Austria for the second time after hosting the event previously in 1935 . This event would serve as the test for the Winter Olympics that would take place the following year in neighboring Innsbruck....
, 1966FIBT World Championships 1966The FIBT World Championships 1966 took place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy for the sixth time, having hosted the event previously in 1937 , 1939 , 1950, 1954, and 1960. The Four-man event was cancelled following the death of West Germany's Toni Pensperger during competition... - Gold medal in the four-man in 1960, 1961
- Silver medal in the four man in 1957