Antonietta Di Martino (born 1 June 1978) is a retired Italian high jumper. She currently holds the Italian national women's high jump record at 2.03 metres for outdoor events and 2.04 metres for indoor events. She also currently holds the women's all-time highest jump-differential, meaning she has jumped the highest (0.35 metres) more than her own height.
Di Martino was born in Cava de' Tirreni. Her athletics history began at the age of 12 at the Youth Games, which highlighted her beginnings. Coincidentally, the high jump was not her first specialty. For much of her youth, she practiced the javelin throw and continued trying for multiple disciplines. She debuted in the national team for heptathlon in the European Cup in 2001.
In February 2007, she cleared 2.00 metres in Banská Bystrica, breaking Sara Simeoni's previous Italian indoor record of 1.98 m. She followed this up with a silver medal at the 2007 European Indoor Championships,[2] where she jumped 1.96 m.
Di Martino also won the silver medal at 2007 World Championships, having jumped 2.03 m. Her 2008 season was not so successful and she managed only the tenth position at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and closed the year carrying a serious toe injury, making her consider retiring from the sport.[3]
Her personal best outdoor jump is 2.03 metres, achieved on 24 June 2007, in Milan by surpassing her own previous Italian record of 2.02 m, while her best indoor result came at an indoor high jump meeting in Slovakia on 9 February 2011 with a new national record of 2.04 m. Standing at only 1.69 m, this jump is the unofficial women's world record for the highest jump over her own height (at 35 cm).[6] Di Martino used to be active in heptathlon, achieving a personal best of 5542 points (2001).
Missing the 2012 Summer Olympics
Di Martino suffered an injury on her knee in April 2012,[7] just four months before the Olympic Games. She was forced to temporarily stop training. However, the National Athletics Federation (FIDAL) underestimate the nature of the injury, which was diagnosed in the three weeks of rehabilitation. But less than a month before the Olympics, they learned that the injury was more serious than expected, forcing her to undergo surgery, ruling her out of London.[8] Her knee surgery was performed just a few days before the race in the Olympics high jump.[9]
Her coach in an interview, accused the FIDAL have underestimated the nature of the injury and failing to ensure an athlete who has contributed immensely to Italian sport the right care at the time of rehabilitation.
National records
High jump outdoor: 2.03 m (Milan, 24 June 2007 and Osaka, 2 September 2007) - current holder
High jump indoor: 2.04 m (Banská Bystrica, 9 February 2009) - current holder
6 wins in High jump outdoor (2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)
4 wins in High jump indoor (2003, 2006, 2007, 2009)
Progression
Antonietta Di Martino ranked 15 times in the top 25 of the world for the season list.[14] Her 2.04 m indoor is also the 8th best performance of all-time.[15]
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