Guido Messina facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Guido Messina |
| Born | 4 January 1931 Monreale, Italy |
| Died | 10 January 2020 (aged 89) Caselette, Italy |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track, road |
| Role | Rider |
Guido Messina was a very talented Italian cyclist. He was born in Monreale, Italy, on January 4, 1931. Guido became famous for his amazing skills in both track cycling and road cycling. He won many important races and medals during his career.
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Olympic Success
Guido Messina achieved a huge victory at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He won a gold medal as part of the Italian team. They competed in an event called the 4000 meter team pursuit. This is where teams of cyclists chase each other around a track.
World Champion Titles
Guido Messina was especially good at track cycling. He won an incredible five world titles in the individual 4000 meter pursuit race. This means he was the best in the world at this event multiple times!
Amateur World Titles
He won his first world title in 1948 in Amsterdam. He was still an amateur cyclist then. He also won gold medals as an amateur in 1953. He earned bronze medals in 1950 and 1951.
Professional World Titles
Later, Guido became a professional cyclist. He continued his winning streak, taking home more gold medals in the individual pursuit. He won professional world titles in 1954, 1955, and 1956. He also earned a bronze medal in 1957.
Road Cycling Career
Besides track cycling, Guido Messina also rode professionally in road races. From 1954 to 1963, he competed in many events. One of his notable achievements was winning the first stage of the 1955 Giro d'Italia. The Giro d'Italia is a very famous and tough road cycling race in Italy.
Later Life
Guido Messina retired from cycling after a very successful career. He passed away on January 10, 2020, just six days after his 89th birthday. He is remembered as one of Italy's great cyclists.
