Wikipedia

Franco Menichelli

Franco Menichelli (3 August 1941 – 28 January 2026) was an Italian gymnast. He competed in all artistic gymnastics events at the 1960, 1964, and 1968 Olympics and won one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.

Franco Menichelli
Menichelli at the 1964 Olympics
Personal information
Born(1941-08-03)3 August 1941
Rome, Italy
Died28 January 2026(2026-01-28) (aged 84)
Height163 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Gymnastics career
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Country
represented
Italy Italy
ClubAssociazione Ginnastica Romana[1]
Retired1968
Medal record
Representing  Italy
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1964 TokyoFloor exercise
Silver medal – second place1964 TokyoRings
Bronze medal – third place1960 RomeFloor exercise
Bronze medal – third place1960 RomeTeam
Bronze medal – third place1964 TokyoParallel bars
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place1962 PragueFloor exercise
Bronze medal – third place1966 DortmundFloor exercise
Bronze medal – third place1966 DortmundRings
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1961 LuxembourgFloor exercise
Gold medal – first place1963 BelgradeFloor exercise
Gold medal – first place1965 AntwerpAll-around
Gold medal – first place1965 AntwerpFloor exercise
Gold medal – first place1965 AntwerpRings
Gold medal – first place1965 AntwerpHorizontal bar
Silver medal – second place1961 LuxembourgVault
Silver medal – second place1965 AntwerpParallel bars
Silver medal – second place1967 TampereFloor exercise
Silver medal – second place1967 TampereParallel bars
Bronze medal – third place1961 LuxembourgParallel bars
Bronze medal – third place1963 BelgradeParallel bars
Bronze medal – third place1967 TampereAll-around
Bronze medal – third place1967 TampereHorizontal bar

Biography

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Menichelli was most successful in 1964, when he won a gold on the floor, a silver on rings, and a bronze on parallel bars.[1] He severely injured an Achilles tendon on landing during the floor exercise at the 1968 Olympics, and retired shortly thereafter.[2] From 1973 to 1979 he coached the national gymnastics team.[3] In 2003 he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[4]

Menichelli died on 28 January 2026, at the age of 84.[5] His brother Giampaolo Menichelli was an international football player.[3][2]

Awards

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On 7 May 2015, in the presence of the President of Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Giovanni Malagò, he was he was entered into in the Olympic Park of the Foro Italico in Rome, along Viale delle Olimpiadi, the Walk of Fame of Italian sport, consisting of 100 tiles that chronologically report names of the most representative athletes in the history of Italian sport. On each tile are the names of the sportsmen, the sport in which he distinguished himself and the symbol of CONI. One of these tiles is now dedicated to Franco Menichelli.[6]

References

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  1. 1 2 Franco Menichelli Archived 23 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  2. 1 2 Storie di ginnastica l'imperatore del giappone franco menichelli, storia di un campione. storiedisport.it
  3. 1 2 Franco Menichelli. medagliedoro.org
  4. ↑ Franco Menichelli. ighof.com
  5. ↑ "The Flight of the Blue Angel. Farewell to the Menichelli Legend". Quotidiano Sportivo. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "Inaugurata la Walk of Fame: 100 targhe per celebrare le leggende dello sport italiano" (in Italian). coni.it. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
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