Antonella Bellutti first practiced hurdling (setting an Italian junior record) and basketball. In 1991, she switched to track cycling, and four years later won her first World Championship medal, finishing second behind Rebecca Twigg in the pursuit. Bellutti adopted Graeme Obree’s successful position on the bike, termed the Superman position, leading her to break the World Record twice before the Atlanta Games. There, she defeated her opponents with ease. Four years later she came fifth in the pursuit, but won gold in the points race. Bellutti also won one European Championship gold (1997), one silver (1995) and one bronze (1996) in the World Championships in pursuit, 13 World Cup races and 16 Italian titles. She left cycling after Sydney and switched to bobsleigh, a new event for women at the 2002 Winter Games. In Salt Lake City, she placed seventh alongside former luge champion Gerda Weissensteiner.
Italy