A talented swimmer, runner, weightlifter and boxer, Romeo Neri eventually found his sport in gymnastics. Trained by Italian great Alberto Braglia, Neri won his first Italian all-around title in 1928. Three more would follow (1929, 1930, 1933), having already won the parallel bars title in 1926. Neri had a good showing at the 1928 Olympics, winning silver on the horizontal bar and earning two fourth places. Neri’s time of glory came at the 1932 Games. He won the individual all-around with a massive 5.7-point margin over István Pelle, and captained the Italian squad to victory in the team event. On the individual apparatuses, he claimed gold on the parallel bars. Strangely, he only entered one more individual event – the floor excercise, in which he placed fourth. His results in the all-around suggested he might have won additional medals. After winning a silver medal in the all-around at the 1934 World Championships (and a bronze in the horse vault), Neri attempted to defend his title at Berlin. But torn arm muscle hampered him, and he withdrew after a few exercises. Retiring due to the outbreak of World War II, Neri returned to gymnastics as the national team coach, appearing among others at the 1952 Olympics. He also coached his sons, Romano (a gymnast) and Giambattista (an athletes). The first athlete from the city of Rimini to become Olympic champion, Neri is remembered in his home town by the Stadio Romeo Neri, home to Rimini’s football team.
Italy