Zahra Bani (born 31 December 1979) is a Somalian-born Italian javelin thrower.
Biography Bani was born in 1979 in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, to an Italian father and a Somali mother. In 1989, she moved to Turin, Italy with her family and started playing volleyball. She soon thereafter discovered her specialty: javelin. Bani's personal best throw is 62.75 metres, achieved at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki. However, since 2005, she has been suffering from health problems, which have significantly hampered her athletic performances. Bani ranks second on the all-time Italian list behind Claudia Coslovich. She retired in 2022 and is now a coach in Turin, Italy.
Achievements Year Competition Venue Position EventMeasureNotes1998World Junior ChampionshipsAnnecy, France26th (q)Javelin throw44.38 m 1999European U23 ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden6thJavelin throw51.90 m2001European Throwing CupNice, France13thJavelin throw51.10 mEuropean U23 ChampionshipsAmsterdam, Netherlands21st (q)Javelin throw43.78 m2003European Throwing CupGioia Tauro, Italy9thJavelin throw54.10 m2005World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland5thJavelin throw62.75 mUniversiadeİzmir, Turkey6thJavelin throw55.02 mFlorence, Italy3rdJavelin throw61.66 mMediterranean GamesAlmería, Spain2ndJavelin throw62.36 mWorld Athletics FinalMonte Carlo, Monaco8thJavelin throw55.02 m2006European Throwing CupTel Aviv, Israel5thJavelin throw56.54 mEuropean ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden9thJavelin throw57.91 mWorld Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany6thJavelin throw60.54 m2007European Throwing CupYalta, Ukraine3rdJavelin throw58.95 mWorld ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan14thJavelin throw59.02 m2008European Throwing CupSplit, Croatia3rdJavelin throw59.42 mAnnecy, France3rdJavelin throw58.13 mOlympic GamesBeijing, China—Javelin throwNMWorld Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany4thJavelin throw60.22 m2009European Throwing CupLos Realejos, Spain9thJavelin throw55.19 mLeiria, Portugal3rdJavelin throw59.11 mMediterranean GamesPescara, Italy2ndJavelin throw60.65 m2010European Throwing CupArles, France8thJavelin throw56.93 mBergen, Norway7thJavelin throw54.79 mEuropean ChampionshipsBarcelona, Spain11thJavelin throw53.67 m2011European Throwing CupSofia, Bulgaria4thJavelin throw54.55 mStockholm, Sweden6thJavelin throw55.92 mWorld ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea13thJavelin throw58.92 m2012European Throwing CupBar, Montenegro7thJavelin throw56.99 mEuropean ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland12thJavelin throw53.40 m2015European Throwing CupLeiria, Portugal13thJavelin throw51,32 m2017European Throwing CupLas Palmas, Spain8thJavelin throw55,85 m2018European Throwing CupLeiria, Portugal5thJavelin throw56.48 m2021European Throwing CupSplit, Croatia11thJavelin throw57.15 m
National titles Bani won 17 national championships at individual senior level.
Italian Athletics Championships Javelin throw: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2021 (8) Italian Winter Throwing Championships Javelin throw: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 (9)
See also Italian Athletics Championships - Multi winners Italian all-time lists - Javelin throw Italy at the European Throwing Cup Naturalized athletes of Italy Italian Somalians
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