Beatrice Vio

**Beatrice Maria Adelaide Marzia Vio** (born 4 March 1997), dem better know am as **Bebe Vio**, be Italian wheelchair fencer, de 2014 den 2016 European champion, 2015 den 2017 World champion, den 2016 den 2020 Paralympic champion insyd de foil B category.

## Early life
Na dem born Bebe Vio insyd Venice for 4 March 1997 as de second of three siblings wey dem raise am insyd Mogliano Veneto.

Insyd late 2008, wen na she be 11 years old, she contract meningitis. For order make dem save ein life, doctors amputate both ein legs for de knee, den both ein forearms. After more dan three months of intensive rehabilitation na she be able make she return to fencing.

For ein childhood insyd she pursue three passions, wich she dey dub "the three S's": school (*scuola* insyd Italian), fencing (*scherma*), wich she take up wen na she be five, den scouting (*scoutismo*).

Insyd 2023, she graduate insyd Communication den International Relations for John Cabot University for Rome insyd.

## Athletics
Vio be champion wheelchair fencer. She dey use special prosthetics dey zuk ein foil, dey fence from de shoulder. Under de coaching of Federica Berton den Alice Esposito she take part for ein first wheelchair fencing competition insyd 2010. Ein experience inspired ein parents make dem found de non-profit organization Art4sport Onlus, wich dey promote sport give amputee young people.

Na de 2012 Summer Paralympics be too early for ein career insyd make she take part, buh na dem choose am as torchbearer give de opening ceremony after online campaign wer more dan 1,000 people email de International Paralympic Committee make dem support ein candidacy.

Insyd 2013, she win ein first World Cup insyd Montreal after she defeat Olympic silver medallist Gyöngyi Dani. For dis performance na dem name am paralympic athlete of de month by de International Paralympic Committee.

Insyd de early 2013–14 season, she pause make she focus for ein studies top, buh she return insyd June den win both de individual den team competition for de European Championships. For de end of de year, de Italian Paralympics Committee award am de distinction of "Italian Paralympic Athlete of the Year", title she share plus Oxana Corso. Insyd 2015, she cam turn world champion after she defeat Dani 15–4 insyd de final. Na dem name am ambassador give de Milan Expo 2015 wey she publish ein autobiography, *Mi hanno regalato un sogno*.

Insyd de 2015–16 season, she receive de Mangiarotti Award from de Italian Olympic Committee. She win ein second European title insyd Casale Monferrato, dey prevail over Russian Irina Mishurova. Insyd July she lost insyd de final of de Warsaw World Cup to Russian Viktoria Boykova, wich end ein streak of 11 consecutive victories insyd World Cup events. She however qualify to de 2016 Summer Paralympics as de top-ranked fencer for ein category insyd. Insyd Rio she cam out of de pool stage undefeated, wey she win ein five pool bouts on 5–0. Insyd de quarterfinals, she defeat Poland ein Marta Makowska for 15–6, then she overcam defending Paralympic champion, China ein Fang Yao, for 15–1. For 14 September, insyd de final, she meet China ein Jingjing Zhou. After she take early lead, dem interrupt de bout wen de tip of ein opponent ein foil accidentally go into ein mask. After na dem apply ice, she go on go win 15–7, wey she earn Paralympic gold.

She receive de *America Award* of de Italy-USA Foundation insyd 2018. For 19 September 2018, after she beat Russian opponent Irina Misurova, dem crown Vio European champion for de third time.

She later participate insyd de 2020 Summer Paralympics, dem hold de year wey dey follow insyd Tokyo. For 28 August 2021, after she defeat Zhou Jingjing second time, she win anoda gold medal insyd de wheelchair fencing foil individual event.

## Advocate
As result of ein illness den ein recovery, Vio cam turn "a fierce campaigner for early vaccination".

## Bibliography

* *Mi hanno regalato un sogno*, English translation: *They gifted me a dream* (2015, Rizzoli Libri, Milano; )
* *Se sembra impossibile allora si può fare*, English translation: *If it seems impossible then it can be done* (2017, Rizzoli Libri, Milano; )

## Filmography

* *Rising Phoenix* (2020)

## References


## External links

* Beatrice Vio at Rio2016.com at de Wayback Machine (archived 22 September 2016)
* Beatrice Vio at de International Paralympic Committee
* Beatrice Maria Vio at de *Comitato Italiano Paralimpico* (insyd Italian)
* Beatrice Vio Grandis at de *Federazione Italiana Scherma* (insyd Italian)