Alberto Winkler was born into a family of humble origins. He moved in 1954 to Mandello del Lario, after military service, and he started a job with the Moto Guzzi motor-cycle manufacturer, and it was at that time that he started his career as a rower. At the 1956 European Championships, the Canottieri Moto Guzzi Club entered a boat in the coxed fours and Winkler, Franco Trincavelli, Romano Sgheiz and Angelo Vanzin, with Ivo Stefanoni as a cox, won the bronze medal. A few months later at the Melbourne Olympics, the same five men won the gold medal, ahead of Sweden and Finland. The following year, Winkler started rowing in eights, and in 1957 and 1958 won gold medals at the European Championship at Duisburg and Poznan respectively.
From 1954 until his death in 1981, Winkler spent his entire life living in Mandello del Lario. On his grave, there is a photo of him wearing the shirt of Canottieri Moto Guzzi, and also the five Olympic rings as a reminder of his success.
Italy