# Manila Esposito

Manila Esposito (born 2 November 2006) is an Italian artistic gymnast. She was a member of the silver medal winning team at the 2024 Olympic Games where she also won a bronze medal on the balance beam. She is the 2024 European all-around champion as well as the 2024 European balance beam and floor exercise champion.

## Early life

Esposito was born in Boscotrecase to Luciano and Margherita Esposito. She began gymnastics at age four when her mother began noticing her athletic abilities. When she was five years old her family moved to Civitavecchia.

## Career
### 2022

Esposito competed at the DTB Pokal Mixed Cup and won the bronze medal with the Italian team behind the United States and Germany. She then competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy where she finished tenth in the all-around with a total score of 51.200. She won the all-around title at the Joaquim Blume Memorial with a total score of 53.300. She won the all-around bronze medal at the Italian Championships behind Martina Maggio and Alice D'Amato. In the event finals, she won the gold medal on the vault, the silver medal on the balance beam, the bronze medal on the uneven bars, and she placed fourth on the floor exercise. She was then selected to compete at the World Championships alongside Maggio, D'Amato, Giorgia Villa, and Veronica Mandriota. The team qualified for the team final where they finished fifth.

### 2023

Esposito competed at the Cottbus World Cup on the vault and floor exercise. In the vault final, she won the gold medal by competing a Yurchenko 1.5 and a Podkopayeva for a 13.233 average. She won a silver medal in the floor final behind Japan's Kokufugata Azuki.
At the 2023 European Championships in Antalya she won the silver medal on the beam. Additionally she was a member of the team to win the silver medal in the team final alongside Alice D'Amato, Asia D'Amato, Angela Andreoli, and Giorgia Villa.
At the World Championships in Antwerp she finished fifth with the Italian team consisting of samen met Angela Andreoli, Arianna Belardelli, Alice D’Amato, and Elisa Iorio. Individually, she was ninth in the all round final.

### 2024

Esposito competed at the 2024 European Championships alongside Alice D'Amato, Asia D'Amato, Angela Andreoli, and Elisa Iorio. On the first day of competition Esposito won the all-around competition and became the third Italian woman to achieve this feat. During event finals, she picked up another two gold medals, winning on both balance beam and floor exercise. On the final day of competition, the team final, Esposito contributed scores on all four apparatuses, helping Italy win their third European team title.
In July, Esposito competed at the Italian Championships where she placed second in the all-around. At the conclusion of the competition she was named to the team to represent Italy at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Alice D'Amato, Andreoli, Iorio, and Giorgia Villa.
At the 2024 Olympic Games Esposito helped Italy qualify to the team final in second place. Individually, she qualified to the all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise finals. During the team final, Esposito contributed scores on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise towards Italy's second place finish, tying Italy's highest Olympic team placement. The last time Italy won this medal was 96 years prior at the 1928 Olympic Games. During the all-around final Esposito placed fourteenth. On the final day of competition Esposito competed in the balance beam final, earning a score of 14.000 and winning the bronze medal behind compatriot D'Amato and Zhou Yaqin of China. Additionally Esposito placed ninth on floor exercise.

## Competitive History

| Year | Event | Team | AA | UB | FX |
| Junior ||||||||
| 2018 | 1st Italian Serie A | 11 | | | |
| 2018 | 2nd Italian Serie A | 5 | | | |
| 2018 | 3rd Italian Serie A | 7 | | | |
| 2019 | 2nd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2019 | 3rd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2019 | Sainté Gym Cup | | 10 | | |
| 2019 | Mediterranean Championships | | 5 | | |
| 2020 | 1st Italian Serie A | 6 | | | |
| 2020 | 2nd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2020 | 3rd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2020 | Italian Championships | | 9 | 7 | |
| 2021 | 1st Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2021 | 2nd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2021 | 3rd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2021 | FIT Challenge | | | | |
| 2021 | Italian Championships | | 6 | | |
| 2021 | Élite Gym Massilia | | 6 | | |
| Senior ||||||||
| 2022 | 1st Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2022 | 2nd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2022 | DTB Pokal Stuttgart | | | | |
| 2022 | City of Jesolo Trophy | | 10 | | |
| 2022 | 3rd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2022 | World Championships | 5 | | | |
| 2023 | 1st Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2023 | Cottbus World Cup | | | | |
| 2023 | 2nd Italian Serie A | | | | |
| 2023 | City of Jesolo Trophy | | | | |
| 2023 | European Championships | | 12 | | |
| 2023 | National Championships | | | 4 | |
| 2023 | World Championships | 5 | 9 | | |
| 2023 | Swiss Cup | 4 | | | |
| 2024 | City of Jesolo Trophy | | 5 | | |
| 2024 | European Championships | | | | |
| 2024 | Italian Championships | | | | |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | | 14 | | 9 |