Renzo Mangiante

Renzo Mangiante began his gymnastics career joining Brescia’s “Gymnasium” gymnastics club. There, he became role model for his younger brother, Giovanni. In 1910, the brothers were key members of the club’s team winning an international gymnastics competition in Lyon. In the following year, Renzo won the national federation’s junior competition in Turin. After attending a pre-Olympic training camp in Brescia, Renzo and his brother made the team that dominated the team event in the European System, which focussed on apparatus exercises. For the first time, two Italian brothers won Olympic gold together. In the years preceding World War I, little is known about his further participations and results.

In the wake of the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerpen, the brothers tried a comeback and earned a spot on the final training camp in Cornigliano. However, Giovanni suddenly fell ill and did not recover in time, but Renzo made the team and competed in Antwerpen and won his second gold in the team event (European System). Gold in the individual all-around went to Giorgio Zampori, his teammate at “Gymnasium” in Brescia.

By 1921, he was a member of the “Forza e Costanza” club team winning the team classification at an international competition in Lille. In 1924, he tried again to qualify for the Olympic Games but failed to make the team. This marked the end of his competitive career.

The son of a well-off building contractor in Brescia, Renzo Mangiante married Bruna Rosina Cavallari. He emigrated to Brazil and was only 45-years-old when he died.