Uncontested

At the age of 11, BEATRICE VIO lost her arms and legs to illness. But, aided by artificial limbs, she has continued to pursue her passion of fencing. Hailing from Italy, Vio went on to win gold at the Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, and her achievements were celebrated at this year’s Laureus World Sports Awards. And she already has her next challenge firmly in her sights - helping others through sport

- Marc Bielefeld

The infection struck Beatrice Vio swiftly and silently – turning her life upside down in just three days. Hers was a rare and particularly deadly strain of meningitis. A young Venetian, Vio – “Bebe” to her friends –was just 11 years old when she contracted the disease. She was a pretty, young girl. Athletic, agile, and full of talent. But how well do we really know ourselves? And if life’s path never causes us to stumble or leads us down into the abyss, how can we possibly know what we are truly capable of achieving?

Vio was five when she took up fencing. The sport soon became her passion. To excel at fencing, you must be able to move quickly, dancing nimbly across the ground. The sport calls for excellent hand-eye coordination and a measure of grit. A grandmaster of the art once instructed his pupils: “A man who wishes to fence must have the heart of a lion. Young knights, learn to love God. Strive after integrity and take great pains in your knightly practices. Show manly courage against anyone who wrongs you. If you wish to maintain your honour, then you must practise truth. Stand firm as a bear and do not equivocate.”