In the post-World War II period, Lake Como was a rowing venue that produced numerous international athletes, including Fulvio Balatti, who started rowing for the Moto Guzzi sports club, where he also began working just after his 18th birthday. After winning various youth races, Balatti achieved his first major success at the 1958 Poznan European Championships, winning the gold medal in the eights. The following year he settled into various other boats, and in 1960 won the coxed fours at the Italian Championships, then going to the Roma Olympics at just 22-years-of-age. Encouraged by the home crowd at Lake Albano, the Italian four won bronze behind the Unified team of Germany and France in what was the crowning achievement of Balatti’s career.
In 1961, back on the eights, Balatti won the European Championship at Prague and then, in 1963, he won silver in the coxless fours at the Copenhagen Europeans and followed that a month later with gold in the Mediterranean Games at Napoli. Balatti competed in his second Olympics at Tokyo in 1964 but failed to reach the podium. He ended his competitive career shortly after the 1964 Games and devoted his time to helping those people who needed the bare necessities in life such as water, and helped build water wells. Sadly, Balatti died prematurely at the age of 63.
Italy