# Libania Grenot

Libania Grenot Martinez (born 12 July 1983) is a Cuban-born Italian former athlete specialising in the 400 metres. Two times European champion (2014, 2016), she holds the Italian records in the 200 and 400 metres.

## Biography

Born in Santiago de Cuba on 12 July 1983, Grenot started running at the age of 9. In 2003–05, she was a Cuban champion in the 400 metres. In 2006, she married an Italian man and relocated to Casal Palocco, a XXXIV zone of Rome.
Grenot acquired Italian citizenship in 2008, and that same year, she broke an Italian record in the 400 meters with a time of 51.05 s and then 50.83 seconds. The latter performance took place at the Beijing Olympics during the semi-final, but despite this effort she did not reach the final. In 2009, she won a gold medal in the distance at the XVI Mediterranean Games with a time of 50.30 s, a new Italian record.
In 2014, she won a gold medal in the 400 metres at the European Championships, becoming the first Italian woman to win an international track title since 1938. Grenot repeated this achievement two years later.

## Statistics
### International competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Cuba ||||||
| 1999 | World Youth Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 5th | 400 m | 54.43 |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 9th (h) | 4 × 400 m | 3:28.68 |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. | 4th | 400 m | 52.23 |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. | 5th | 4 × 400 m | 3:28.79 |
| 2005 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Nassau, Bahamas | 3rd | 400 m | 51.53 |
| 2005 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Nassau, Bahamas | 3rd | 4 × 400 m | 3:33.85 |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 34th (h) | 400 m | 53.05 |
| Representing Italy ||||||
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 10th (sf) | 400 m | 50.83 NR |
| 2009 | Mediterranean Games | Pescara, Italy | 1st | 400 m | 50.30 NR |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 12th (sf) | 400 m | 50.85 |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 12th (h) | 4 × 400 m | 3:31.05 |
| 2010 | European Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 3rd | 400 m | 50.43 |
| 2010 | European Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 3rd | 4 × 400 m | 3:25.71 |
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 9th (h) | 4 × 400 m | 3:26.48 |
| 2012 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 6th | 400 m | 52.57 |
| 2012 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 10th (h) | 4 × 400 m | 3:31.64 |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 9th (sf) | 400 m | 51.18 |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 11th (h) | 4 × 400 m | 3:29.01 |
| 2013 | Mediterranean Games | Mersin, Turkey | 2nd | 200 m | 23.20 |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 8th (sf) | 400 m | 50.47 |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | DQ | 4 × 400 m | 170.6 |
| 2014 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 6th | 4 × 400 m | 3:27.44 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 1st | 400 m | 51.10 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 7th | 4 × 400 m | 3:28.30 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 14th (sf) | 400 m | 51.14 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 1st | 400 m | 50.73 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 3rd | 4 × 400 m | 3:27.49 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 8th | 400 m | 51.25 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 5th | 4 × 400 m | 3:27.05 |
| 2017 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | DQ | 4 × 100 m | R163.3(A) |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 9th (h) | 4 × 400 m | 3:27.81 |
| 2018 | Mediterranean Games | Tarragona, Spain | 2nd | 400 m | 51.32 |
| 2018 | Mediterranean Games | Tarragona, Spain | 1st | 4 × 400 m | 3:28.08 |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 9th (sf) | 400 m | 51.54 |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 5th | 4 × 400 m | 3:28.62 |

### National titles

Grenot won seven national championships at individual senior level (six as Italian, three as Cuban).
* Italian Athletics Championships
** 200 m: 2012 (1)
** 400 m: 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016 (5)
* Cuban Athletics Championships
** 400 m: 2003, 2004, 2005 (3)