Beatrice Vio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beatrice Vio |
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Bebe Vio in 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Beatrice Maria Adelaide Marzia Vio Grandis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Bebe Vio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Beatrice Maria Adelaide Marzia Vio 4 March 1997 Venice, Italy |
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| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Fencing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weapon | foil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hand | left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National coach | Simone Vanni | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Scherma Mogliano | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach | Federica Berton, Alice Esposito | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Beatrice Maria Adelaide Marzia Vio Grandis (born March 4, 1997), known as Bebe Vio, is an amazing Italian wheelchair fencer. She has won many big titles. These include European, World, and Paralympic championships in the foil B category.
Contents
Early Life
Bebe Vio was born in Venice, Italy, on March 4, 1997. She grew up in a town called Mogliano Veneto with her two siblings.
When she was 11 years old, in late 2008, she got very sick with meningitis. To save her life, doctors had to remove both her legs below the knee and both her forearms. After spending more than three months getting better, she was able to start fencing again.
As a child, Bebe had three main interests. She called them her "three S's":
- School (scuola in Italian)
- Fencing (scherma), which she started when she was five years old
- Scouting (scoutismo)
In 2023, Bebe finished her studies. She earned a degree in Communication and International Relations from John Cabot University in Rome.
Becoming a Champion
Bebe Vio is a top wheelchair fencer. She uses special prosthetics to hold her foil and fences from her shoulder. Her coaches, Federica Berton and Alice Esposito, helped her a lot. She competed in her first wheelchair fencing event in 2010.
Her journey inspired her parents to create a group called Art4sport Onlus. This group helps young people with amputations get involved in sports.
Starting Wheelchair Fencing
The 2012 Summer Paralympics in London were too soon for Bebe to compete. However, she was chosen to carry the torch for the opening ceremony! More than 1,000 people sent emails to the International Paralympic Committee to support her.
In 2013, Bebe won her first World Cup event in Montreal. She beat Olympic silver medalist Gyöngyi Dani. Because of this win, the International Paralympic Committee named her the paralympic athlete of the month.
Bebe took a break from fencing in early 2013–14 to focus on her schoolwork. She came back in June and won both individual and team events at the European Championships. At the end of that year, she was named "Italian Paralympic Athlete of the Year." She shared this award with Oxana Corso.
In 2015, Bebe became a world champion. She beat Dani again in the final match. She also became an ambassador for the Milan Expo 2015. That same year, she published her autobiography, called Mi hanno regalato un sogno (They Gave Me a Dream).
Paralympic Gold
In the 2015–16 season, Bebe won her second European title. She also qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro as the top-ranked fencer. In Rio, she won all her early matches without losing a single point.
On September 14, 2016, Bebe faced Jingjing Zhou from China in the final. Bebe took an early lead. Even after a small accident where her opponent's foil touched her mask, Bebe kept going. She won the match 15–7, earning her first Paralympic gold medal!
In 2018, Bebe won her third European championship. She beat Irina Misurova from Russia.
She then competed in the 2020 Summer Paralympics, which took place in Tokyo in 2021. On August 28, 2021, she won another gold medal. She beat Zhou Jingjing again in the individual foil event.
Beyond Fencing
Speaking Out
Because of her illness and recovery, Bebe Vio has become a strong supporter of early vaccination. She believes it is very important for everyone's health.
On Screen
Bebe Vio also appeared in a film:
- Rising Phoenix (2020)
See also
In Spanish: Beatrice Vio para niños
