Mario Mangiarotti

Mario Mangiarotti was taught fencing by his father Giuseppe, one of the top épée fencers and coaches of his era, whose students won over 80 medals at the Olympics and World Championships.

Mario was educated at Berchet High School, studied piano at the Conservatory, and then became a doctor and an esteemed cardiologist. Mario joined the national épée squad in 1938. He was the fifth or sixth man on a team of Olympic champions, took part at the University Games, winning a team gold medal at Wien (Vienna) in 1939, and was runner-up at the 1940 National Championships.

After the war, Mangiarotti studied medicine and married Eugenia Gavazzeni, a national foil athlete. In 1947 they competed together in the Paris Universiade, Mario winning a team gold with his brother Edoardo and épée individual bronze. Mario won the Challenge Le Coutre in Lausanne for three years, the most prestigious European club trophy (1947-49). In 1951 Mario was on the Italian national team champions with Dario and Edoardo and third in the individual after them. For the first time he was not a substitute but first choice at the Stockholm World Cup, where he won silver in the épée team event.

Mario continued competing for a few years, wearing the colors of Società Giardino. From 1947-80 he was FEI President of the jury for all three weapons. He worked as a doctor in Bergamo and specialized in cardiology, where he was a pioneer of cardiology and sports medicine along with Angelo Quarenghi, and stood as CONI Provincial President for 25 years.