Francesco MARTINO

Francesco Martino from Bari took up gymnastics at the age of nine along with his older brothers Angelo and Raffaele. Belonging to Società Ginnastica Angiulli his whole career, Martino won the Apulian region all-around championships in 1915. His gymnastics career was interrupted by voluntary service with the Italian Navy from 1917-20. A submariner, Martino was awarded a Badge of Military Merit for clearing up the minefields at Dardanelles and Black Sea.

After returning to Bari and resuming gymnastics, Martino was the military all-around gymnastics champion of Bari in 1921 and 1922. The high point of his career was at the 1924 Olympics, where he won gold in rings and team all-around. Martino retired from sports soon after the 1924 Olympics and was later employed by Ente Autonomo Acquedotto Pugliese (now Acquedotto Pugliese SpA), the public waterworks of Apulian region. After his death a street and gymnastics hall in Bari was named for him.