Carlo Molfetta

Carlo Molfetta was born on February 15, 1984, in Mesagne, Italy. He began his taekwondo career early, demonstrating talent that led him to represent Italy in international competitions. His early achievements include a gold medal at the 2000 World Championships in Killarney in the -63 youth category and a gold medal at the 2002 World Cup in Tokyo in the -67 senior category. Molfetta continued to build his competitive record, securing a gold medal at the 2003 Universiade in Daegu in the -72 senior weight class and a silver medal at the 2004 European Championships in Lillehammer in the same category.

Molfetta’s career trajectory saw him competing consistently at the highest levels of taekwondo. He earned a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships in Jeju in the -67 senior division, followed by another silver at the 2009 World Championships in Copenhagen in the -87 senior category. A significant milestone was his gold medal victory at the 2010 European Taekwondo Championships in St. Petersburg in the -87 senior division. He also achieved a gold medal at the 2010 Military World Championships in Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu. These performances established him as a prominent figure in the sport.

The pinnacle of Molfetta’s career came at the 2012 London Olympics, where he won the gold medal in the men’s +80 kg heavyweight division. He defeated Anthony Obame of Gabon in a closely contested final that ended in a 9-9 tie, with Molfetta being declared the victor based on superiority. This achievement marked Italy’s first Olympic taekwondo medal and solidified his legacy in the sport. He was later inducted into the Walk of Fame of Italian sport in 2023.