Farewell to a heroine of our ski Celina Seghi, a life of medals

He was 102 years old, class and tenacity have marked his career

the character

“I have never lost hope, even during the war. The thought of returning to the race on the snow was the light that guided me in the most difficult days under the bombs “: strong and strong-willed character, Celina Seghi, the icon of Italian alpine skiing who has inspired entire generations, died yesterday at 102 years old. After a full life, she lived between ideals, sacrifices and successes. And not even the 37 medals won at the Italian Championships, the bronze at the Aspen World Championships in 1950 and the fourth place in the downhill at the Olympics in Saint Moritz 1948 and in the slalom in Oslo 1952, prevented her from highlighting her femininity, defended for to the bitter end with that thread of red lipstick on the lips and the scarf also worn at the starting gate. She coquetry as a prima donna, a shield against the boots and the ski suit, but combined with strong values ​​and great determination. Like when she fought, on the eve of the World Cup in Aspen, in the United States, to get a visa also for Zeno Colò, “punished” for political reasons. She stuck, threatening to retire, as she told in one of her latest interviews: “In the end I reached the goal and he won two golds, downhill and giant, and silver in slalom”.

There are many anecdotes that photograph its energetic character. Like the one told by Gustavo Thoeni, 71, alpine skiing legend, Olympian in Sapporo’72 and four World Cups: “We met with Celina several times, she came to see my races but I remember with pleasure that time in the Cup Europe at Abetone was the forerunner and was already over 80 years old ». Here, this was the lady with the lipstick. She is a tenacious woman and a class athlete. She explained the secret of her longevity as follows: “Go to bed early, eat in moderation, allowing yourself a piece of chocolate from time to time and never without the daily walk.” She was born on March 6, 1920 but in the registry office of Cutigliano – in 1920 the Municipality was not yet in Abetone – they had registered her two days later.

She was born in a snowstorm, and the snow entered her soul. She fought with pride on the track. Like her when she broke a shoulder in the Arlberg-Kandahar international trophy, in Sankt Anton in 1949, but she took part in the slalom, in which she had to repeat the second heat among other things due to a failure of the chronometer. . Her tenacity made her win the gold “K” and a bronze eagle given by her opponents in memory of the feat, an acknowledgment proudly guarded.

In 2015, the recognition of the Hall of Fame of the Italian federation, received with Alberto Tomba. The champion of skiing very close to Celina. She has been assisted in recent years by her family, and in particular by her nephew Nicola, she has always fought with pride. “We used to play trump every Sunday morning for years, a way to be together. And she always won ». Her joie de vivre could be read in her eyes thirsty for experience and very lively.

She loved playing the accordion and always spent herself on the weakest. Like when she, a famous sportswoman, she saw a child begging for alms because she didn’t have the money to buy a folder and notebooks. She didn’t think twice about it. She went into a shop and bought the necessary. Years later that child, who became a lawyer, thanked her in person. –

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