Ugo Frigerio

Ugo Frigerio (16 September 1901 – 7 July 1968) was an Italian race walker. He competed in four events at the 1920, 1924 and 1932 Olympics ranging from 3 to 50 km and won three gold and one bronze medals.[1] He was the Olympic flag bearer for Italy in 1924 and 1932.

Ugo Frigerio

Frigerio winning the 10 km walk at the 1920 Olympics
Personal information
Nationality	Italian
Born	(1901-09-16)16 September 1901 Milan, Italy
Died	7 July 1968(1968-07-07) (aged 66) Garda, Italy
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 ^1⁄2 in)
Weight	55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
Country	Italy
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Race walk
Club	US Milanese
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	10 km walk – 44:38.0 (1925) 50 km walk – 4:59:06 (1932)
Medal record Olympic Games 1920 Antwerp 3 km walk 1920 Antwerp 10 km walk 1924 Paris 10 km walk 1932 Los Angeles 50 km walk

Biography

Nationally Frigerio won nine race walking titles: in the 3 km (1921, 1922), 10 km (1919–1922, 1924, 1931), and one-hour walk (1920).[2]

Before the 3 km Olympic race in 1920 in Antwerp Frigerio gave pages of sheet music that he wanted to hear to the band playing at the competition venue. During the race he would scold the conductor when the band was deviating from its tempo, and chat to the public, which eventually began to cheer him.[3][4]

Frigerio semi-retired after learning that race walking was excluded from the 1928 Summer Olympics. He resumed training in 1931 to prepare for the 1932 Games, where the only walking event was 50 km, five times longer than his favorite 10 km distance. He won a bronze medal and retired for good, becoming a sports administrator. In 1934, he wrote an autobiography titled Marciando nel nome dell’Italia (Walking in the Name of Italy).[4]

Olympic achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Performance	Note
1920	Olympic Games	Antwerp	1st	3 km walk	13:14,2
			1st	10 km walk	48:06.2
1924	Olympic Games	Paris	1st	10 km walk	47:49.0
1932	Olympic Games	Los Angeles	3rd	50 km walk	4:59:06

See also

• Legends of Italian sport - Walk of Fame
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• FIDAL Hall of Fame

References

1. Ugo Frigerio. sports-reference.com
2. ""CAMPIONATI "ASSOLUTI" ITALIANI SUL PODIO TRICOLORE – 1906 2012" (PDF). sportolimpico.it. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
3. Athletics at the 1920 Antwerpen Summer Games: Men's 3,000 metres Walk. sports-reference.com
4. UGO FRIGERIO, TRIPLE OLYMPIC WALKING GOLD MEDALLIST. vrwc.org.au

External links

• Ugo Frigerio at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)

Summer Olympics
Preceded by Nedo Nadi	Flag bearer for Italy 1924 Paris	Succeeded by Carlo Galimberti
Preceded by Carlo Galimberti	Flag bearer for Italy 1932 Los Angeles	Succeeded by Giulio Gaudini