Those who know gymnastics sure do know the iconic Vanessa Ferrari. Vanessa recently spoke to her hometown newspaper ‘Bresciaoggi’ and went on to drop some big news. “The time has come to say enough,” said the Italian gymnast. For the gymnastics fandom, this is the end of an era. And rightly so, Ferrari has represented Italy for four Olympic seasons! And then came the 2024 Paris Olympics. Vanessa had a muscle tear during her training session, causing her to miss her fifth Olympics. But her legacy, however, remains untainted.

As gymnastic historian Katherine Keirns puts it, “Her career was marked not only by pioneering achievements but resiliency and overcoming of injuries to come back again and again to the top of the sport.” The reaction sums up a journey that started on competition mats when she was just 13 years old. Today, as she is hanging up her leotard, she is 33! It is safe to say Vanessa Ferrari has ruled the mat for two decades. In a sport where longevity is questionable, it is safe to say that Ferrari defied the odds!

When someone that great retires, it comes as no surprise that soon reactions from the gymnastics community flood in. Vanessa Ferrari’s retirement isn’t just the end of a career that has seen five World Championship medals. It is the culmination of a story written with the alphabet of resilience. As a fan rightly puts it, “Standing ovation to the one who, to the sound of medals, inspired girls all over the country.” You can’t diminish the Ferrari effect when discussing Italian gymnastics. Vanesssa’s journey has inspired many, including Alice and Asia D’Amato, as well as Manila Esposito, all of whom recently made it to Paris!

A true pioneer and inspiration indeed. “In Italian gymnastics, there is a before and after Vanessa Ferrari,” said another fan. And there is no debate there! If it wasn’t for her demanding better training facilities after her world championship win in 2006, who knows where the faces of Italian gymnastics might have ended up?  But the fandom is, however, not all praise.

Netizens are heartbroken to see Vanessa leave the leotard behind!

The announcement came with a wave of heartbreak and grieving fans. One fan voiced a sentiment that struck a chord. “Vanessa Ferrari retires, what’s next, Milena Baldassarri retires too? This is the year to cry.”

It does feel quite a bit like an era of gymnastic iconicity is coming to an end. While her departure might be painful, it also signals the rite of passage for new faces like Manila Esposito and Asia D’Amato to come.

As an emotional fan puts it, “Today we are lucky. We are in the era of Alice D’Amato, Asia, Manila Esposito… But for the last twenty years, when you said artistic gymnastics, you said Vanessa Ferrari.”

The current roster of Italian gymnasts, including Alice, who won the Beam in Paris, has quite a bit to thank Vanessa for. As the music fades, the gymnast hangs up her leotard. Vanessa Ferrari is bidding adieu. She can retire knowing her impact on the sport will reverberate, not just in Italy but around the globe.