Nedo Nadi facts for kids

Nedo Nadi in 1919
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Born	9 June 1894 Livorno, Italy
Died	29 January 1940 (aged 45) Portofino, Italy
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Sport
Sport	Fencing
Club	C. S. Fides, Livorno
Medal record Representing  Italy Olympic Games Gold 1912 Stockholm Foil individual Gold 1920 Antwerp Foil individual Gold 1920 Antwerp Sabre individual Gold 1920 Antwerp Foil team Gold 1920 Antwerp Épée team Gold 1920 Antwerp Sabre team

Nedo Nadi (born June 9, 1894 – died January 29, 1940) was an amazing Italian fencer. Many people think he was one of the best ever! He made history by winning a gold medal in all three types of fencing at one Olympic Games. He won five gold medals at a single Olympics, which was a record. In total, Nadi won six Olympic gold medals.

Nedo Nadi: A Fencing Legend

Early Life and Training

Nedo Nadi was born in Livorno, Italy. His father, Giuseppe Nadi, was a very famous fencing master. Nedo also had a younger brother, Aldo, who became an Olympic gold medalist too.

Nedo started fencing at age seven. He learned with a foil in his father's gym. His father taught him how to use the foil and the sabre. However, his father thought the épée was "undisciplined." So, he refused to teach it.

Because of this, Nedo and Aldo practiced the épée by themselves. They basically taught themselves how to use it. When Nedo was fourteen, he won a special silver trophy. This was for his skills with all three fencing weapons.

Becoming an Olympic Champion

1912 Stockholm Olympics

Nedo Nadi competed for Italy at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. He was only 18 years old. He became the youngest fencer to win a gold medal in the foil event.

Nadi won seven straight matches in the final round. He beat his teammate Pietro Speciale and Richard Verderber from Austria. This earned him the individual gold medal.

Serving in World War I

Nadi joined the Italian Army during World War I. He was recognized for his bravery during his service.

1920 Antwerp Olympics

After World War I, Nadi started fencing again. Some strong fencing countries, like Hungary, did not attend the Antwerp Games. This gave Nadi a great chance to win more medals.

He decided to compete in all three fencing types. He entered the team events for foil, épée, and sabre. He also competed in the individual foil and sabre events.

Nedo Nadi's performance at the 1920 Olympics was almost perfect. He won the individual foil gold medal. He set a record with 10 wins in the final round. Roger Ducret, a French fencer, won bronze in this event. Ducret later won individual gold in 1924 after Nadi retired from the Olympics.

Nadi's father was not happy about Nedo entering the team épée event. His father still thought the épée was "crude and undisciplined." In épée, any part of the body can be hit to score points. This is different from foil or sabre, where only specific areas count.

Despite his father's feelings, Nedo Nadi led the Italian épée team to a gold medal. His brother Aldo was also on this team. Nadi did not compete in the individual épée event.

Nadi had excellent balance, timing, and quick reflexes. These skills helped him in any fencing style. He easily won the individual sabre gold medal. He had 11 victories to 9. His brother Aldo won the silver medal in this event. The Italian team also won the team sabre event easily.

Nadi was celebrated by his opponents. He added three team gold medals to his two individual golds. His younger brother Aldo won three team golds and one silver. Together, the Nadi brothers set a record for medals won by a family in one Olympic Games.

Life After the Olympics

After his amazing wins in Antwerp, Nadi became a professional fencer. He started coaching at the Buenos Aires Jockey Club. Later, he returned to Rome. He was allowed to become an amateur fencer again.

From 1935 until he passed away in January 1940, Nadi was the president of the Italian Fencing Federation. His brother Aldo moved to Hollywood. There, he worked in the film industry.

See also

In Spanish: Nedo Nadi para niños