Irene Camber

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Irene Camber

| image = Irene Camber 1960.jpg

| caption = Camber in 1960

| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|2|12|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Trieste, Italy

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|2|23|1926|2|12|df=yes}}

| death_place = Lissone, Italy

| height = {{convert|169|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|63|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| nationality = Italian

| residence =

| country = {{flagu|Italy}}

| sport = Fencing

| event = Foil

| club = SS Cassa di Risparmio, Milan

| retired =

| medaltemplates =

}}

Irene Camber-Corno (12 February 1926 – 23 February 2024) was an Italian fencer and Olympic champion in foil competition.

Biography

Irene Camber was born in Trieste, Italy, on 12 February 1926.{{cite web|title=Irene Camber-Corno |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/irene-camber-corno-1.html |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102100815/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/irene-camber-corno-1.html |archive-date= 2 November 2012 }} She began to be interested in fencing at eight years-old in Trieste. Her involvement in fencing was accidental:{{cite web|title=The Olympic Dictionary|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Olimpiadi/2008/pdf_dictionary/TheOlympicDictionary_C.pdf|publisher=Gazzetta|access-date=7 September 2012}} instead of entering the hall where she used to practice gymnastics, she mistakenly entered the fencing hall. She had four appearances at Olympic Games: London (1948), Helsinki (1952), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964).

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial chemistry, she made her debut at the London Games in 1948. She was defeated in the semi-finals. Four years later at the Helsinki Games, she faced two-time Olympic champion (at Berlin and London Games) 45-year-old Hungarian Ilona Elek. She won the match by 4–3. She did not appear at the Melbourne Games, since she was pregnant. At the Rome Games in 1960, she won a bronze team medal. She lastly took part in the Italian fencing team at the Tokyo Games. She won medals at the world fencing championships. Then she began to serve as the national team coach at the Munich Games, and Antonella Ragno, her pupil, won the gold medal. Camber also worked at Montedison chemical corporation during her fencing career.

Death

Camber died in Lissone on 23 February 2024, at the age of 98.{{cite news |title=Addio A Irene Camber, La Signora Della Scherma Italiana. Il Presidente Federale Azzi: "Campionessa Ed Esempio. Ricordo Indelebile L'abbraccio Con Le Fiorettiste D'oro All'ultimo Mondiale Di Milano" |url=https://federscherma.it/addio-a-irene-camber-la-signora-della-scherma-italiana-il-presidente-federale-azzi-campionessa-ed-esempio-ricordo-indelebile-labbraccio-con-le-fiorettiste-doro-all/ |access-date=23 February 2024 |publisher=Federazione Italiana Scherma |date=23 February 2024}}

Achievements

Camber received a gold medal in the individual foil at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=13&sp=FEN "1952 Summer Olympics – Helsinki, Finland – Fencing"] databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on 7 June 2008){{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/irene-camber-corno-1.html |title=Irene Camber Results |access-date=18 June 2010 |work=sports-reference.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303194317/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/irene-camber-corno-1.html |archive-date= 3 March 2012 }} At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome she received a bronze medal in foil team. She also earned two titles – one individually (1953) and one with the Italian team (1957) – and six more medals at the Fencing World Championships.