Italy competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. 174 competitors, 173 men and 1 woman, took part in 79 events in 18 sports.
Medalists
Gold Medal Name Sport Event Ugo Frigerio Athletics 3 km walk Ugo Frigerio Athletics 10 km walk Arnaldo CarliRuggero FerrarioFranco GiorgettiPrimo Magnani Cycling Team pursuit Tommaso Lequio di Assaba Equestrian Individual jumping Nedo Nadi Fencing Foil Nedo Nadi Fencing Sabre Baldo BaldiTommaso CostantinoAldo NadiNedo NadiAbelardo OlivierOreste PulitiPietro SpecialeRodolfo Terlizzi Fencing Team Foil Antonio AllocchioTullio BozzaGiovanni CanovaTommaso CostantinoAndrea MarrazziAldo NadiNedo NadiAbelardo OlivierPaolo Thaon di RevelDino Urbani Fencing Team Épée Fencing Baldo BaldiFederico CesaranoFrancesco GarganoAldo NadiNedo NadiOreste PulitiGiorgio SantelliDino Urbani Fencing Team Sabre Giorgio Zampori Gymnastics All-around Arnaldo AndreoliEttore BellottoPietro BianchiFernando BonattiLuigi CambiasoLuigi ContessiCarlo CostiglioloLuigi CostiglioloGiuseppe DomenichelliRoberto FerrariCarlo FregosiRomualdo GhiglioneAmbrogio LevatiFrancesco LoiVittorio LucchettiLuigi MaioccoFerdinando MandriniLorenzo MangianteAntonio MarovelliMichele MastromarinoGiuseppe ParisManlio PastoriniEzio RoselliPaolo SalviGiovanni TubinoGiorgio ZamporiAngelo Zorzi Gymnastics Team Ercole OlgeniGiovanni ScatturinGuido De Felip Rowing Coxed pair Filippo Bottino Weightlifting +82.5 kg
Silver Ettore Caffaratti, Garibaldi Spighi, Giulio Cacciandra and Carlo Asinari — Equestrian, Men's Team three-day event Alessandro Valerio — Equestrian, Individual jumping Aldo Nadi — Fencing, Men's Individual Sabre Pietro Annoni and Erminio Dones — Rowing, Men's double scull (2x) Pietro Bianchi — Weightlifting, Middleweight
Bronze Ernesto Ambrosini — Athletics, Men's 3000m steeplechase Valerio Arri — Athletics, Men's marathon Edoardo Garzena — Boxing, Featherweight Ettore Caffaratti — Equestrian, Individual three-day event Ettore Caffaratti, Giulio Cacciandra, Alessandro Alvisi and Carlo Asinari — Equestrian, Team jumping
Aquatics
Diving
A single diver represented Italy in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. De Sanctis was unable to advance past the first round in either of his two events.
Men
Ranks given are within the semifinal group.
DiverEventSemifinalsFinalPointsScoreRankPointsScoreRank Guglielmo De Sanctis 3 m springboard 29 451.35 6 Did not advance Plain high dive 33 98.0 7 Did not advance
Swimming
Four swimmers, all men, represented Italy in 1920. It was the nation's fourth appearance in the sport. None of the individual swimmers advanced to the finals, though the relay did advance before finishing fifth in the final.
Ranks given are within the heat.
Men
SwimmerEventQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalResultRankResultRankResultRank Gilio Bisagno 400 m free Unknown 6 Did not advance 1500 m free 25:18.0 3 Did not advance Agostino Frassinetti 100 m free 1:11.8 1 Q Unknown 4 Did not advance Mario Massa 100 m free 1:10.4 3 Did not advance Antonio Quarantotto 400 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance 1500 m free Unknown 4 Did not advance Gilio Bisagno Agostino Frassinetti Mario Massa Antonio Quarantotto 4 × 200 m free relay N/A 11:01.2 2 Q Unknown 5
Water polo
Italy competed in the Olympic water polo tournament for the first time in 1920. The Bergvall System was in use at the time. Italy forfeited its round of 16 match with Spain, then was defeated by Greece in the bronze medal tournament. Squad Salvatore Cabella Ercole Boero Amilcare Beretta Luigi Burlando Achille Olivari Umberto Lungavia Angelo Vassallo Mario Boero
Round of 16
Italy forfeited the match.
Bronze medal quarterfinals
Final rank 11th
Athletics
24 athletes represented Italy in 1920. It was the nation's fourth appearance in athletics. Frigerio gave the nation its first gold medals in the sport by winning both of the racewalking competitions. Italy's long-distance successes also included a bronze in the marathon and a bronze in the steeplechase. Overall, the nation placed fourth on the athletics medals leaderboard.
Ranks given are within the heat.
AthleteEventHeatsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRank Ernesto Ambrosini 800 malign=center colspan=2 1:59.4 4 Q 1:59.5 4 Did not advance 3000 m steeplechasealign=center colspan=4 10:33.6 2 Q 10:32.0 Valerio Arri Marathonalign=center colspan=6 2:36:32.8 Giuseppe Bernardoni 400 m 52.8 3 Did not advance Ettore Blasi Marathonalign=center colspan=6 Did not finish Giuseppe Bonini 800 malign=center colspan=2 1:58.8 2 Q 1:59.0 5 Did not advance 1500 malign=center colspan=4 6 Did not advance Oprando Bottura Javelin throw 42.70 17align=center colspan=4 Did not advance Carlo Butti Decathlonalign=center colspan=6 Did not finish Daciano Colbacchini 110 m hurdlesalign=center colspan=2 15.6 1 Q 6 Did not advance Giorgio Croci 100 m 11.2 3 Did not advance Ugo Frigerio 3 km walkalign=center colspan=4 13:40.2 OR 1 Q 13:14.2 OR 10 km walkalign=center colspan=4 47:06.4 1 Q 48:06.2 Aurelio Lenzi Shot put 12.325 13align=center colspan=4 Did not advance Discus throw 37.75 9align=center colspan=4 Did not advance Costante Lussana 10000 malign=center colspan=4 10 Did not advance Augusto Maccario 5000 malign=center colspan=4 15:23.2 5 Did not advance 10000 malign=center colspan=4 34:06.8 3 Q 32:02.0 4 Carlo Martinenghi 1500 malign=center colspan=4 Did not start 5000 malign=center colspan=4 Did not finish Did not advance 3000 m steeplechasealign=center colspan=4 Did not finish Did not advance Giovanni Orlandi 100 m 6 Did not advance 200 m 23.8 3 Did not advance Donato Pavesi 3 km walkalign=center colspan=4 13:46.8 OR 1 Q Disqualified 10 km walkalign=center colspan=4 48:12.0 4 Q Disqualified Antonio Persico Marathonalign=center colspan=6 Did not finish Arturo Porro 800 malign=center colspan=2 Did not advance 1500 malign=center colspan=4 4:09.0 2 Q 4:12.4 7 Mario Riccoboni 100 m 11.2 2 Q 11.5 5 Did not advance 200 m 4 Did not advance Agide Simonazzi 400 m 53.0 3 Did not advance 800 malign=center colspan=2 Did not advance Carlo Speroni 5000 malign=center colspan=4 15:27.6 1 Q 15:21.2 7 10000 malign=center colspan=4 32:13.1 4 Q Did not finish Giovanni Tosi 400 m 52.6 4 Did not advance Giuseppe Tugnoli Shot put 12.07 14align=center colspan=4 Did not advance Vittorio Zucca 100 m 11.4 1 Q 5 Did not advance Ernesto Ambrosini Augusto Maccario Carlo Speroni 3000 m teamalign=center colspan=4 25 3 Q 36 5 Giorgio Croci Giovanni Orlandi Mario Riccobono Vittorio Zucca 4 × 100 m relayalign=center colspan=4 Disqualified Did not advance
Boxing
Five boxers represented Italy at the 1920 Games. It was the nation's debut in boxing. Garzena had the best performance for Italy, taking all three of the nation's wins on his way to a bronze medal.
BoxerWeight classRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / Bronze matchOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRank Mariano Barbaresi Heavyweight N/A L Did not advance 9 Dario Della Valle Welterweight L Did not advance 17 Vincenzo Dell'Oro Flyweight N/A L Did not advance 9 Edoardo Garzena Featherweight Bye W W L W Leo Giunchi Lightweight N/A L Did not advance 9
Opponent nation Wins Losses Percent 1 1 .500 0 3 .000 1 0 1.000 0 1 .000 1 0 1.000 Total 3 5 .375
Round Wins Losses Percent Round of 32 0 1 .000 Round of 16 1 3 .250 Quarterfinals 1 0 1.000 Semifinals 0 1 .000 Final 0 0 – Bronze match 1 0 1.000 Total 3 5 .375
Cycling
Twelve cyclists represented Italy in 1920. It was the nation's third appearance in the sport. Italy took its first Olympic cycling medal when its pursuit team won the gold. Italy also had three cyclists place in the top eight of the 50 kilometres event, though none was able to secure a medal.
Road cycling
CyclistEventFinalResultRank Camillo Arduino Time trial 5:03:16.8 23 Pietro Bestetti Time trial 5:02:15.0 21 Federico Gay Time trial 4:57:21.8 16 Dante Ghindani Time trial 5:21:50.4 32 Camillo Arduino Pietro Bestetti Federico Gay Dante Ghindani Team time trial 20:24:44.0 5
Track cycling
Ranks given are within the heat.
CyclistEventHeatsQuarterfinalsRepechage semisRepechage finalSemifinalsFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRank Vittorio Cavalotti Sprint Unknown 3 Did not advance Ruggero Ferrario 50 km N/A Unknown 4 Luigi Gilardi 50 km N/A Did not finish Francesco Giorgetti Sprint Unknown 2 Q Unknown 2 R Did not start Did not advance 50 km N/A Unknown 6 Primo Magnani 50 km N/A Unknown 8 Pietro Martinelli Sprint Unknown 3 Did not advance Armido Rizzetto Sprint Unknown 3 Did not advance Arnaldo Carli Ruggerio Ferrario Franco Giorgetti Primo Magnani Team pursuit N/A 6:20.0 1 Q N/A 5:10.8 1 Q 5:14.2
Equestrian
Ten equestrians represented Italy in 1920. It was the nation's second appearance in the sport. The Italian equestrians were fairly successful, winning five medals to take third place on the equestrian leader board for the Games. Italians took the top two spots in the individual jumping competition, as well as a bronze in the individual eventing. The nation also earned a medal in each of the two team events in which it participated, a silver in the eventing and a bronze in jumping (which, by the rules of the day, had to consist of entirely different riders than the individual jumping event).
EquestrianHorseEventFinal Result Rank Carlo Asinari Savari Eventing 1245.00 19 Emilio Benini Passero Jumping 13.00 19 Giulio Cacciandra Facetto Eventing 1353.75 14 Ettore Caffaratti Caniche Eventing 1733.75 Santorre de Rossi di Santa Rosa Neruccio Jumping 7.00 7 Tommaso Lequio di Assaba Trebecco Jumping 2.00 Garibaldi Spighi Otello Eventing 1647.50 5 Virginia Jumping 8.00 10 Ruggero Ubertalli Proton Jumping 10.25 17 Alessandro Valerio Cento Jumping 3.00 Alessandro Alvisi Carlo Asinari Giulio Cacciandra Ettore Caffaratti Raggio di Sole Varone Fortunello Tradittore Team jumping 18.75 Carlo Asinari Giulio Cacciandra Ettore Caffaratti Garibaldi Spighi Savari Facetto Caniche Otello Team eventing 4735.00
Fencing
Nineteen fencers represented Italy in 1920. It was the nation's fourth appearance in the sport. The Italian fencers took five of the six gold medals; the individual épée was the only event not won by an Italian (Italy's best result in that event was sixth place). Nedo Nadi took the individual gold medals in the foil and sabre; both he and his brother Aldo were on all three of the gold-medal teams. Aldo Nadi also took a silver medal in the individual sabre.
Ranks given are within the group.