Massimo Stano embodies the spirit of perseverance that characterizes many great athletes. Growing up in the sleepy Italian towns of Grumo Appula and Palo del Colle, his journey into racewalking wasn’t an expected path. He dabbled in middle-distance running until he was 14, when a coach named Giovanni Zaccheo introduced him to racewalking—a decision that would shape his life. Flashes of brilliance came in quick succession, and by 2013, he found himself swimming through the tangled waters of competition, initially finishing fourth at the European U23 Championships, only to be promoted to medalist status through subsequent disqualifications of others, probably a bittersweet triumph in some ways.

Stano’s rise wasn’t just meteoric but fraught with challenges. Injuries plagued his career; there were times when you could hear the doubt creeping into his voice. “It’s easier to win when you’re nobody than when you’ve already won,” he mused, a statement that grips the essence of his struggle. Yet, his dedication bore fruit in extraordinary feats like the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and a stunning championship record at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

What stands out most, however, isn’t just Stano’s accolades but the mental fortitude he developed along the way. He speaks openly about the role of sports psychology in his training—reminiscing about a particularly dark phase induced by injury just months before the Paris Olympics, which he faced head-on. “From this point on, how can I improve my form?” he asked himself, showing a remarkable resolve to transform setbacks into stepping stones.

Now living in Rome with his wife, Moroccan athlete Fatima Lotfi, and their daughter Sophie, Stano tends to intertwine family life with his relentless pursuit in sport. He doesn’t just walk to win; he walks as a testament to resilience, pushing boundaries year after year, embodying the notion that sometimes the journey matters as much, if not more, than the finish line itself. In his words, he’s not just racing against others but racing against himself—an endless chase for improvement that defines his essence as an athlete.