‘Every competition is a gift,’ says death-defying Italian shooter Giulia Vernata

For Giulia Vernata, Para trap shooting was a "rebirth from the ashes".

Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2016, it was Vernata’s newly discovered passion that breathed new life into her journey.

“I experienced death for a full minute; and shooting gave me a rebirth from the ashes that remained after my Crohn's surgery. At that time, the sport was a way for me to move forward and not think about the pain I had and still have.”

“As soon as I got out of the hospital, I immediately wanted to try clay shooting,” said Vernata who picked up shooting, aged 16, after watching the sport at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games from a hospital bed.

During surgery, doctors were forced to remove a section of Vernata’s intestine due to intestinal stenosis — a severe narrowing of the bowel that had led to a life-threatening rupture. 

According to Vernata, she was suddenly told she had just two to three hours to live.

“It was a time of life and death. My heart stopped beating for a little over a minute and they had already notified my mother of my death,” she said.

“After resuscitation with a defibrillator, the heart started beating again and I returned to the room where my mother was waiting, still not knowing that they had managed to bring me back to life.”

She also admitted that there many positives with the condition “having developed a strong character, resilient to any problem, is a help in sports.”

“But the illnesses have also made all of this a very demanding and uphill journey."

Apart from Crohn's disease, Vernata lives with several chronic illnesses that affect her digestive system, joints, and nervous system. Among the symptoms from her conditions are constant pain and fatigue, especially during competition.

"In general, every day is a challenge against death," said the shooter from the small town of Magione, near Perugia in central Italy.

"Life is priceless but unfortunately, my life is on a knife's edge. Every day or competition is a gift given to me and a challenge I manage to overcome."

🗣️💬 “I discovered Shooting Sport when I was 15 & it became my passion.(…) I’ve reached my first goal which was to be part of #Lonato2022. Now my second one is to do my very best.”

🇮🇹 Giulia Vernata, 22-year-old shooter, the youngest one at #Lonato2022.#ParaTrap @Paralympics pic.twitter.com/q7moG2LiFW

— Shooting Para Sport (@ShootingPara) September 30, 2022

Love at first sight

In 2018, she started with Para trap, having discovered the discipline through her coach, Giampaolo Micheletti. She described her first time, at the iconic Tav Trasimeno shooting range by Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, as love at first sight.

“I fired at five clays and hit them all. From the very first shot, I knew I had fallen in love with this sport,” said Vernata, describing her move to Para sports as ‘liberating’.

“I've always competed against able-bodied athletes, and when I compete in Para trap, I feel free to express myself and, above all, I’m free from the prejudices and discrimination that can be encountered in normal life.

Through shooting, Vernata has learned to rise above the physical toll of her illnesses.

“Having to compete with them has been a very long and winding road,” she said.

“Pain is very difficult to inhibit, especially during a competition, but I’ve learned to block it out so I can fully complete my series. I’ve developed my own mental technique that allows me to harness my pain.”

Preparing for her second World Championships, the 25-year-old now aims to inspire more girls and women to pick up the sport.

"Clay pigeon shooting makes me feel alive and proud of my achievements, both athletic and personal," Vernata said. 

"Thanks to it, I can step away and not think about all the pain and problems I face every day."

Imagen

‘Until the end’

She credits humility, fighting spirit and a belief that you never stop learning as keys for her quick rise to the Para trap world elite.

“I’ve competed in almost any competition I wanted, won countless times – even setting records – and my best trait is definitely my tenacity in never giving up,” Vernata said.

"‘Until the end’ is my guiding principle, and immediately after that comes the desire to learn, which has led me to develop great technique. I also have a coach and parents who have always encouraged me to cultivate my best qualities."

She made her World Championships debut on home soil in Lonato, Italy, in 2021, finishing eighth in the qualification round.

“It was the beginning of my journey with the team," she said.

"I remember the strong emotion and the great desire I had to compete and participate in such a big competition."

Preparing for the 2025 World Shooting Para Sport Para Trap World Championships in Brno, Czechia, in September, Vernata reflects how she has changed over the past four years.

"I'm definitely more mature and self-aware today – this has a significant impact on my sport," she said.

"I have more confidence and experience than before, and I can tackle big competitions with more clarity."

‘Significant Progress’

She has also witnessed the growth of Para trap shooting.

“The sport has progressed significantly, bringing more young people closer and involving athletes with disabilities more than ever,” Vernata said.

While she is focused on improving her game, her hopes go beyond medals.

“I want to have fun, improve myself, and gain valuable experience. I also hope the Para trap movement will continue to grow,” she said.

As one of the few women competing in the mixed discipline, Vernata is passionate about advocating female participation in Para trap.

“The disabilities and difficulty of this sport certainly discourage girls from trying shooting," she said.

"But our numbers are slowly growing, and I hope to see a competitive women's category one day.

“I try to sponsor, share Para trap competitions and involve young girls at every opportunity -- it's important to grow the women's movement in the sport.”