Irene CAMBER

Irene Camber-Corno started fencing after she accidentally walked into a fencing hall while intending to attend gymnastics practice. At her first Olympics, she was eliminated in the semi-final round, but she reached the final in Helsinki four years later. There she faced two-fold Olympic champion Ilona Elek, whom she defeated 4-3 in a close match. Camber-Corno was pregnant during the Melbourne Olympics, but she returned at her home Games to win a bronze team medal in Rome. After another competition appearance in 1964, she became the national team coach for the 1972 Games, when her pupil Antonella Ragno took the gold. At World Championships she also took two titles - one individually (1953) and one with the Italian team (1957) - and 6 more medals. A two-time Italian champion, Camber-Corno worked at Montedison chemical corporation throughout her fencing career.