Giorgia Villa’s Olympic dream began when she was only three years old. Two decades later, she drew the curtains on a career as an Olympic medalist. But when she decided to bid goodbye to the sport, she could only recount a “dream that shattered” before her eyes. However, from a point of no return, she redeemed herself to find glory again.

With just days to go before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Villa injured her ankle at the Italian championships, and it ended any hopes of her first Olympics. “The Olympics that I had to give up were one of the darkest moments of my career,” Villa wrote on Instagram (translated). “A dream that shatters before your eyes, without being able to do anything. I thought it was over. I thought I had nothing left to give.”

Yet, despite having her heart broken, Villa persevered. However, now, with her body no longer able to keep up with the sport, the 23-year-old has announced her retirement. In an emotional post on Instagram, Villa confirmed the news, bringing an end to a career filled with medals and honors.

“Dear Gymnastics,” Villa revealed (translated). “I do not know if there are any right words to say goodbye to something you loved more than your own life. But today I’m trying. With trembling hands and eyes full of memories. It’s time to say goodbye to gymnastics. Where do I begin? Maybe from that little girl who walked into the gym with her hair always up for air and eyes full of dreams. Who climbed everywhere, who never stood still, who loved to feel her body fly. It all started like this, almost as a joke. But that game quickly became my street, my home, my world. Gymnastics gave me everything.”

Villa’s mother, unsure what to do with someone who had boundless energy, decided to enroll her in gymnastics. That is, before she “destroyed her whole house” by bouncing all over the place. Somehow, it stuck, mainly because Villa had fallen instantly in love with the sport.

In 2010, the family relocated to Brescia so Villa could train under elite coaching. She trained at the International Academy of Brixia, the same gym where the legendary Italian gymnast Vanessa Ferrari trained. Villa grew up idolizing Vanessa and was mentored by the icon at Brescia.

That proved to be the right move because in 2018, Villa dominated at the Youth Olympics. Despite tearing her Achilles tendon the year before, the 14-year-old swept the tournament, winning three gold medals in the all-around, vault, and floor exercise while winning silver on the uneven bars. Yet, it wasn’t until the 2019 World Championships that Giorgia Villa truly drew the world’s attention, leading Italy to a bronze medal.

But Italy hadn’t won a team medal since 1950. Suddenly, Paris felt possible. It meant that hopes were high for the postponed 2020 Olympics as Villa was training with Ferrari before the tragedy struck.

Yet, despite being heartbroken, Villa held strong. So much so that she returned in 2022, winning several gold and silver medals across multiple competitions.

It re-ignited her hopes of an Olympic place, and in 2024, Villa helped Italy to an Olympic silver medal. It was Italy’s first medal in the team event since 1928, marking a historic result.

“Finally, I made it to Paris,” Villa explained. “I felt that unique adrenaline that only the Olympics can give. I gave it all away. Left my heart on that plateau, and I made it through. I won an Olympic medal.”

In an intense sport like gymnastics, injuries do take a toll on the gymnasts. Ferrari, Villa’s long-time compatriot and a four-time Olympian and floor exercise silver medalist, retired in late 2024 after a chronic calf injury prevented her from competing in the Paris Games.

Yet Paris almost never happened. Multiple times, Villa nearly walked away.

Giorgia Villa reflects on nearly quitting gymnastics after injuries

Tokyo 2021, the Olympics are on the horizon, and Giorgia Villa is among those carrying Italy’s hopes. Thus, the 19-year-old has the fate of the country on her shoulders. Yet it doesn’t seem to bother her as she competes at the Italian championships, winning gold in the team event. 

However, that’s when tragedy strikes, as Villa injures her ankle in the tournament. It rules her out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and breaks her heart thoroughly. More injuries follow, with the ankle injury recurring several times alongside a back problem. 

It meant that despite continuing to compete and win medals, Villa struggled to deal with it all. So much so that she admitted in a 2022 interview that she had considered quitting.

“It hasn’t been easy, especially at the beginning,” Villa told Olympics.com in 2022. “Like any athlete in my situation, I thought: ‘Enough, I want to quit. I can’t do gymnastics anymore…’ But I think that was normal.”

However, instead of quitting, the Italian simply took a break to recover and rehab her injuries. It turned out to be exactly what she needed, as she rediscovered her love for the sport.

“Then, when I stopped training for one month or so, after just two weeks, I felt I missed all of this. I understood that gymnastics is my life, and now, my goal is to try to get a spot in the team and compete at the Olympics,” she added.

Villa never quit when her body begged her to, and gymnastics never gave up on her either. In the end, the sport that consumed her from the age of three gave her exactly what she always wanted, and Italy got its moment too.