Laura Micheli

Italian gymnast Laura Micheli took up the sport during the war, becoming a junior national champion in 1946. After making her senior début for the national team a year later, Micheli was selected to represent her country at the 1948 London Olympics. The 17-year-old gymnast competed in the team all-round event where Italy finished eighth. Her individual score of 53.65 was the best by any Italian gymnast and the third-best of all the women who competed.

Two years later Micheli won bronze in the team event at the World Championships in Basel, Switzerland. From 1947 to 1949 she also won three consecutive Italian titles in the individual all-round competition. In 1952 she married the basketball player Romeo Romanutti, who had also competed at the 1948 London Olympics. Micheli was 94-years-old when she died in July 2025.