Umberto Silvestri

Roman wrestler Umberto Silvestri had a long career, competing both before and after World War II. His greatest successes came after the war, winning a bronze medal in the 1947 European Championships and the title at the 1951 Mediterranean Games. Although primarily a Greco-Roman wrestler, Silvestri occasionally also represented Italy in freestyle. He won a total of 12 Italian titles. Silvestri was also active in rugby, winning two caps for Italy as a lock in 1949. As a second career, he played minor movie roles, appearing in mostly historical pictures, such as “Spartaco” (1953) and “Ulisse” (1954, along Kirk Douglas).