At just 16 years of age Beatrice “Bebe” Vio is one of the wheelchair fencing's youngest competitors, but having exploded onto the scene in 2012, she has already established herself as one of the most talented.
In 2008, at 11, Vio contracted meningitis which resulted in a stay of over 100 days in the hospital. Doctors were able to save her life but only at the cost of the amputation of all four limbs.
Fencing was a passion for Vio before her illness which helped her to adapt quickly to wheelchair competition. Trained by coaches Federica Berton and Alice Esposito, Vio took part in her first official wheelchair fencing match in Bologna in May 2010. As the only wheelchair fencer in the world to compete with no arms and no legs, she hasn't looked back since.
Vio did not compete at the London 2012 Paralympics but participated as a torchbearer. Soon afterwards, she made it into the Italian senior squad and quickly made it very clear she was a serious contender in the category B foil discipline.
December 2012 saw Vio finish as runner-up at the IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Eger, only losing in the final to London 2012 silver medallist Dani Gyongi of Hungary.
Vio built on this performance at her next major competition in April 2013, beating Marta Makowska of Poland, a bronze-medal winner at London 2012, to take victory at the IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Grand Prix in Montreal, Canada.
She then secured a successive tournament win at May's Grand Prix competition in Lonato del Garda, Italy.
Vio made the most of the strong home support in Lonato, demonstrating ability and determination beyond her years to overcome rival Dani Gyongi for the first time. This strong form helped Vio to win another accolade – the IPC’s Athlete of the Month Award for May 2013.
Vio's recent achievements are particularly impressive given she has balanced an intensive training programme with study. Currently in the second year of a course in graphic arts and communication, she attributes her good results both on the piste and in the classroom down to her passion for her sport.
She maintains that her top priority is simply to continue competing with a smile on her face, though has admitted she hopes to compete in a Paralympic Games. On current form, few would doubt she is one to watch on the road to Rio 2016.
