View source for Elisa Di Francisca

{{Short description|Italian fencer (born 1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox fencer
| image          = Elisa Di Francisca 2014 Saint-Maur WC quals t112439.jpg
| caption        = 
| full_name      = {{nowrap|Veronica Rossella Elisa Di Francisca}}
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1982|12|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = [[Jesi]], Italy
| height         = 1.77 m
| weight         = 65 kg
| country        = [[Italy national fencing team|Italy]]
| weapon         = [[Foil (fencing)|Foil]]
| hand           = Right-handed
| club           = [[G.S. Fiamme Oro]]
| natlcoach      = [[Andrea Cipressa]]
| formercoach    = [[Stefano Cerioni]]
| headcoach      = [[Giovanna Trillini]]
| fieranking     = [https://fie.org/athletes/4464 current ranking]
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalCount
|total=yes
|[[Summer Olympic Games|Olympic Games]]|2|1|0
|[[World Fencing Championships|World Championships]]|7|5|3
|[[European Fencing Championships|European Championships]]|13|2|3
|[[Fencing World Cup|World Cup]] (ind.)|9|10|10
}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Summer Olympic Games|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's foil|Individual foil]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's team foil|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's foil|Individual foil]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Fencing Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2004 World Fencing Championships|2004 New York]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 World Fencing Championships|2009 Antalya]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 World Fencing Championships|2010 Paris]]|[[Women's foil at the 2010 World Fencing Championships|Individual foil]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 World Fencing Championships|2010 Paris]]|[[Women's team foil at the 2010 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2013 World Fencing Championships|2013 Budapest]]|[[Women's team foil at the 2013 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 World Fencing Championships|2014 Kazan]]|[[Women's team foil at the 2014 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2015 World Fencing Championships|2015 Moscow]]|[[Men's team foil at the 2015 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2006 World Fencing Championships|2006 Turin]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2011 World Fencing Championships|2011 Catania]]|[[Women's foil at the 2011 World Fencing Championships|Individual foil]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2011 World Fencing Championships|2011 Catania]]|[[Women's team foil at the 2011 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2016 World Fencing Championships|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Women's team foil at the 2016 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2019 World Fencing Championships|2019 Budapest]]|[[Women's team foil at the 2019 World Fencing Championships|Team foil]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2009 World Fencing Championships|2009 Antalya]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2013 World Fencing Championships|2013 Budapest]]|[[Women's foil at the 2013 World Fencing Championships|Individual foil]]}}
{{MedalBronze|2019 Budapest|[[Women's foil at the 2019 World Fencing Championships|Individual foil]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[European Fencing Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2005 European Fencing Championships|2005 Zalaegerszeg]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 European Fencing Championships|2009 Plovdiv]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 European Fencing Championships|2010 Leipzig]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2011 European Fencing Championships|2011 Sheffield]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2011 European Fencing Championships|2011 Sheffield]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 European Fencing Championships|2012 Legnano]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2013 European Fencing Championships|2013 Zagreb]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2013 European Fencing Championships|2013 Zagreb]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 European Fencing Championships|2014 Strasbourg]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 European Fencing Championships|2014 Strasbourg]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2015 European Fencing Championships|2015 Montreux]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2015 European Fencing Championships|2015 Montreux]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalGold|[[2019 European Fencing Championships|2019 Düsseldorf]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2006 European Seniors Fencing Championship|2006 İzmir]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2016 European Fencing Championships|2016 Toruń]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2004 European Fencing Championships|2004 Copenhagen]]|Team foil}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2010 European Fencing Championships|2010 Leipzig]]|Individual foil}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2019 European Fencing Championships|2019 Düsseldorf]]|Team foil}}
}}

'''Elisa Di Francisca''' ({{IPA|it|eˈliza di franˈtʃiska}}; born 13 December 1982) is an Italian former [[Foil (fencing)|foil]] [[Fencing|fencer]], Olympic champion in 2012, World champion in 2010 and three-time European champion. She won the [[2010–11 Fencing World Cup|2010–11 World Cup series]] and has seven [[Fencing World Cup|World Cup]] victories to her name. With the Italian team, she was Olympic champion in 2012, five-time World champion and seven-time European champion.

==Biography==
Di Francisca was born in [[Jesi]], a town of the [[province of Ancona]] in [[Marche]], to a Sicilian father and a mother from Marche. She is the eldest of three children: her sister Martina was born in 1984 and her brother Michele in 1991.<ref name="AI">{{cite news|url=http://www.affaritaliani.it/sport/difrancisca-vezzali-081110.html|title=Di Francisca, oro nel fioretto: la nuova signora dello sport|newspaper=Affaritaliani|date=9 November 2010|language=it}}</ref> She first tried [[ballet]], but found it too quiet for her taste.<ref name="AI" /> Along with her sister, she turned to fencing, the town's national sport: led by maestro Ezio Triccoli, Club Scherma Jesi produced Olympic champions [[Stefano Cerioni]], [[Giovanna Trillini]] and [[Valentina Vezzali]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olimpiazzurra.com/2012/12/club-scherma-jesi-dove-nascono-i-campioni/|title=Club scherma Jesi: dove nascono i campioni|first=Gabriele|last=Lippi|publisher=olimpiazzurra.com|date=7 December 2012|language=it}}</ref> Di Francesca immediately took to the sport and went on after her sister gave up, dragging her brother in her wake.

In 2013 Di Francisca took part in the ninth edition of ''{{lang|it|Ballando con le stelle}}'', the Italian version of ''[[Dancing with the Stars]]''. Paired with dancer Raimondo Todaro, she won with 56% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.it/televisione/ballando-con-le-stelle-9-vince-elisa-di-francisca/|title=Ballando con le stelle 9, vince Elisa Di Francisca|work=Panorama|date=8 December 2013|language=it}}</ref>

Di Francisca is involved in several campaigns to end [[violence against women]], testifying from her own experience of an [[Abusive power and control|abusive relationship]] when she was in high school.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/attualita/2013/11/25-342210/%C2%ABFemminicidio,+trovate+il+coraggio+di+parlare%C2%BB|title=Femminicidio, trovate il coraggio di parlare|newspaper=Il Corriere dello Sport|date=25 November 2013|language=it|access-date=15 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100543/http://www.corrieredellosport.it/attualita/2013/11/25-342210/%C2%ABFemminicidio%2C+trovate+il+coraggio+di+parlare%C2%BB|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.it/news/italia/15/03/08/festa-della-donna-elisa-di-francisca-contro-violenza|title=Festa della donna, Elisa Di Francisca contro la violenza sulle donne|first=Francesca|last=Amè|newspaper=Vanity Fair Italy|date=8 March 2015|language=it}}</ref> After the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] she visited Kenya as part of a campaign by NGO Intervita Onlus to help underprivileged children and women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.9colonne.it/adon.pl?act=doc&doc=52385|title=Elisa Di Francisca and her trip to Kenya|publisher=9colonne|date=19 December 2012}}</ref> She is also committed to promoting Italy, especially Marche, her home region. She was one of the ambassadors of [[Expo 2015]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.expo2015news.org/expo2015-il-progetto/2443/the-fencer-becomes-ambassador/|title=The fencer becomes ambassador|website=expo2015news.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402100357/http://www.expo2015news.org/expo2015-il-progetto/2443/the-fencer-becomes-ambassador/|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref> and the face of the 2015 campaign of the Wine Institute of Marche promoting [[Verdicchio]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/terraegusto/notizie/rubriche/vino/2014/11/19/elisa-di-francisca-dal-fioretto-a-testimonial-verdicchio_26141b60-8362-42ec-92f0-d07dd4b2fb1f.html|title=Elisa Di Francisca dal fioretto a testimonial Verdicchio|publisher=ANSA|date=19 November 2014|language=it}}</ref>

==Career==
Di Francisca trained first under maestro Ezio Triccoli, then Giulio Tomassini and Stefano Cerioni. She soon showed promise, winning in 1995 the Italian national championship for her age class. In 2000, she earned a silver medal in the junior national championships and a bronze  in the senior edition. She began taking part in international competitions, winning a bronze medal at the 2001 Junior World Cup event in [[Lyon]].

===2004–2008===
She made her breakthrough in the [[2003–04 Fencing World Cup|2003–04 season]]. She reached the quarter-finals at three senior [[Fencing World Cup|World Cup]] events, in Como, St Petersburg and New York. These results caused her to be drafted as a reserve in the senior national team composed of [[Margherita Granbassi]], [[Giovanna Trillini]] and [[Valentina Vezzali]]. At the [[2004 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] in Copenhagen she placed fifth in the individual event and took a bronze medal with the team. She made her [[World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] début at the [[2004 World Fencing Championships|New York event]] held on the sidelines of the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] for women's team foil and sabre. Italy defeated Romania in the final, bringing Di Francisca her first world title. She finished the season No.21 in world rankings after a jump of 98 places.

In the [[2004–05 Fencing World Cup|2004–05 season]] she climbed her first World Cup podium with a silver medal in Salzburg and went on to win the Havana World Cup. She claimed her first senior Italian title in the team event and her first European title, also with the team. The [[2005 World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] in Leipzig saw her début in the individual event. She reached the quarter-finals, where she lost to Hungary's [[Edina Knapek]]. These results pushed her to a No.6 world ranking.

The following season she placed third in the Seoul Grand Prix and the Marseille World Cup. She claimed her first individual European medal in İzmir, a silver, after defeating fellow Italian {{ill|Claudia Pigliapoco|it}} in the semi-finals, but losing to Russia's [[Ianna Rouzavina|Yana Ruzavina]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Vari/Altri_Sport/Scherma/Primo_Piano/2006/07_Luglio/07/tremedaglie.shtml|title=Europeo, tre medaglie azzurre|first=Marisa|last=Poli|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|date=7 July 2006|language=it}}</ref> At the [[2006 World Fencing Championships]] held on home ground in Turin Di Francisca lost again in the quarter-finals, this time to teammate Vezzali. In the team event director of foil {{ill|Andrea Magro|qid=Q131523411|s=1|v=sup}} called Di Francisca in the quarter-finals against France to replace Granbassi, who was still emotional after having won the individual world title. Italy overcame France 32–30, then prevailed over Korea to meet Russia in the final. Di Francisca was called to replace Granbassi again after the latter lost 0–5 her bout to [[Aida Shanayeva]]. Entering on 15–19 in the last relay she defeated 4–1 [[Svetlana Boyko (fencer)|Svetlana Boyko]], allowing captain Vezzali to level the score. Italy was eventually defeated in sudden-death overtime and doomed to a silver medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/sport/articoli/articolo330629.shtml|title=Scherma: argento per il fioretto|publisher=TGcom24|date=5 October 2006|language=it}}</ref>

[[2006–07 Fencing World Cup|2006–07]] and [[2007–08 Fencing World Cup|2007–08]] were more difficult seasons, with only a silver medal at the 2007 Salzburg World Cup. Di Francisca was not selected into the team for the [[2007 European Fencing Championships|2007 European Championships]] nor for the [[2007 European Fencing Championships|2007 World Championships]] and failed to qualify for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]]. She was offered to go to Beijing as a sparring partner for the team, but she refused, saying that if she was to travel for the sake of tourism, she preferred to choose her own destinations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2011/10/06/sport/scherma/di-francisca-stoccate-alla-vezzali-non-mi-piace-non-accetta-ombre-Hv4J4yJOqnFgVnPmaphmZP/pagina.html|title=Di Francisca, stoccate alla Vezzali: 'Non mi piace, non accetta ombre'|first=Marco|last=Ansaldo|newspaper=La Stampa|date=16 October 2011|language=it}}</ref>

===2008–2012===
The [[2008–09 Fencing World Cup|2008–09 season]] saw Di Francisca's return to form with four quarter-finals finishes and a silver medal at the Dallas World Cup. She was called again into the national team for the [[2009 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] in Plovdiv. In the individual event she was stopped in table of 16 by teammate [[Arianna Errigo]], but in the team event Italy defeated successively Romania, France and Russia to take back the continental title, four years after Zalaegerszeg.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Vari/Altri_Sport/Scherma/17-07-2009/fiorettiste-sciabolatori-d-oro-50789605252.shtml|title=Fiorettiste e sciabolatori d'oro. L'Europeo sorride all'Italia|first=Marisa|last=Poli|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|date=17 July 2009|language=it}}</ref> At the [[2009 World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] she reached the semi-finals after defeating [[Valentina Vezzali]], then lost to Russia's [[Aida Shanayeva]] and came away with a bronze medal, her first individual distinction in World Championships.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2009/09/sport/vari/scherma-mondiali/fioretto-scherma-vezzali/fioretto-scherma-vezzali.html|title=Mondiale, altre tre medaglie. Vezzali ko, Tagliariol d'argento|newspaper=La Repubblica|date=4 October 2009|language=it}}</ref> In the team event Italy met Russia in the final and took revenge for the lost match in Torino by defeating them 45–33, including a 5–0 bout by Di Francisca against Shanayeva.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Vari/Altri_Sport/Scherma/07-10-2009/riscatto-vezzali-granbassi-501535177805.shtml|title=Riscatto Vezzali-Granbassi. Le fiorettiste sono sempre d'oro|first=Marisa|last=Poli|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|date=7 October 2009|language=it}}</ref> Italy was thus able to reclaim the world title that had eluded them since 2004. Di Francisca finished the season No.5 in World rankings.

The [[2009–10 Fencing World Cup|2009–10 season]] saw her claim six World Cup medals, including a victory in the Marseille Grand Prix. At the [[2010 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] in Leipzig she defeated Errigo in the quarter-finals, but lost to Russia's [[Yevgeniya Lamonova]] in the semi-finals and came away with a bronze medal. In the team event Italy maintained their domination, earning their third gold medal in a row. At the [[2010 World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] in Paris Di Francisca reached the semi-finals without any major hassle. She prevailed over World No.1 [[Nam Hyun-hee]] of Korea in the semi-finals and met Errigo in the final. Despite a good 8–5 start by Errigo, who had just eliminated Vezzali, Di Francisca levelled up on 9–9 and proceeded to win 15–11, claiming her first individual World title.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Escrime/Actualites/Di-francesca-en-or-au-fleuret/154836|title=Di Francesca en or au fleuret|newspaper=L'Équipe|date=7 October 2011|language=fr}}</ref>

[[File:Elisa Di Francisca 2014 European Championships FFS-EQ t114417.jpg|thumb|Di Francisca fastens her mask cord]]

In [[2010–11 Fencing World Cup|2010–11 season]] Di Francisca earned a medal in six out of the seven World Cup events in which she took part, including two golds in Seoul and Tauberbischofsheim. At the [[2011 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] she met again Vezzali in the final. After being led for the first two periods, Di Francisca levelled the score and hit twice in the last ten seconds to win the bout 10–8 and claim her first continental title.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ilsecoloxix.it/p/sport/2011/07/16/AOvJjdl-vezzali_francisca_europeo.shtml|title=Di Francisca piega la Vezzali, l'europeo è azzurro|newspaper=Il Secolo XIX|date=16 July 2011|language=it}}</ref> Vezzali took her revenge at the [[2011 World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] in Catania when they met once again in the final. Vezzali took a 0–6 lead in the first bout and kept until the final score of 7–15. "I didn't understand anything", commented Di Francisca. "It's as if she had a walkie talkie earpiece suggesting everything I was going to do. She anticipated everything and riposted."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2011/10/12/sport/scherma/vezzali-infinita-rivincitad-oro-sulla-di-francisca-JAAvxPvgXUlqRwYoKAqQCL/pagina.html|title=Vezzali infinita, rivincita d'oro sulla Di Francisca|first=Marco|last=Ansaldo|newspaper=La Stampa|date=12 October 2011|language=it}}</ref> The silver medal however strengthened her ranking and she won the 2010–11 World Cup series.

The [[2011–12 Fencing World Cup|2011–12 season]] saw her win the Tauberbischofsheim World Cup for the second time in a row, as well as the St Petersburg World Cup. At the [[2012 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] in Legnano she lost in the quarter-finals to Russia's [[Larisa Korobeynikova]]. She qualified to the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympics]] as a member of the top-ranked Italian team. In the [[Fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's foil|individual event]] she was seeded fourth and she received a bye in the first round. For her first Olympic bout she crushed Lebanon's [[Mona Shaito]] 15–2. In the table of 16 Germany's [[Carolin Golubytskyi]] took an early 8–3 lead against her, but Di Francisca managed to stop the onslaught. At 6–8 she was bridging the gap when she accidentally hit Golubytskyi under the mask with the bell guard of her foil. Her opponent stumbled to the ground and the bout had to be interrupted for medical care. Golubytskyi never regained her initial advantage and was defeated 15–9.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.welt.de/sport/olympia/article108407185/Kinnhaken-gegen-Deutsche-nie-war-Fechten-gemeiner.html|title=Olympia brutal: Kinnhaken gegen Deutsche, nie war Fechten gemeiner|newspaper=Die Welt|date=28 July 2012|language=de}}</ref> Di Francisca prevailed over Japan's [[Chieko Sugawara]] on the same score. She had a narrow 11–10 victory in the semi-finals against Nam Hyun-hee, striking the winning hit in overtime. She then met fellow Italian [[Arianna Errigo]] in the final. After a slow start Di Francisca built a 7–3 lead in the second period, but Errigo managed to come back and the bout went into overtime with 11 all. Di Francisca received priority and scored immediately to win the Olympic title.<ref name=og>{{cite news|title=London 2012: Elisa Di Francisca claims Olympic fencing gold|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18910403|work=BBC Sport|date=28 July 2012|access-date=29 July 2012}}</ref>

Italy entered the [[Fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's team foil|team event]] as a clear favourite, as the team was composed of the gold, silver and bronze medallists from the individual event. As the top seed, they received a bye in the first round. They proceeded to thrash Great Britain on the score of 45–14, then France on 45–22. Defending champion Russia offered less resistance than expected and Italy prevailed 45–31, allowing Di Francisca a double gold haul.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/summer/2012/fencing/story/_/id/8227296/2012-summer-olympics-italy-beats-russia-win-gold-women-team-foil-event|title=Italy wins gold in women's team foil|agency=Associated Press|date=2 August 2012}}</ref>

===After the London Games===
[[File:Italy podium 2013 Fencing WCH FFS-EQ t215213.jpg|thumb|right|Di Francisca (L) sings the national anthem on the podium of the [[2013 World Fencing Championships|2013 World Championships]]]]

After the Olympics the women's foil team national coach [[Stefano Cerioni]] announced he would leave the [[Federazione Italiana Scherma|Italian Fencing Federation]] for the [[Russian Fencing Federation]], their historical rivals.<ref name="IS12">{{cite web|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2012-12-30/intervista-elisa-di-francisca-141225.shtml?uuid=AbVQBBGH|title=Elisa Di Francisca: "2012 anno d'oro, spero di riconfermarmi anche nel nuovo anno"|first=Filippo|last=Bonsignore|date=30 December 2012|language=it}}</ref> Cerioni had also been Di Francesca's own coach at CS Jesi for fourteen years. Di Francisca chose Olympic champion [[Giovanna Trillini]] as her new coach "because she is a great champion, because we know each other and we have fenced together and supported each other before London, and because this solution does not keep me away from Jesi, where are my family, my friends and my fencing hall."<ref name="IS12" />

In the [[2012–13 Fencing World Cup|2012–13 season]] Di Francisca placed third at the Gdańsk Grand Prix and second at the Tauberbischofsheim World Cup. At the [[2013 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] in Zagreb she inflicted a 15–5 defeat to Errigo in the quarter-finals and eventually won the continental title after prevailing against Russia's [[Diana Yakovleva]]. She dedicated her victory to motorcycle racer and fellow Jesi dweller {{ill|Alessia Polita|qid=Q131523385|s=1|v=sup}}, who had just been critically injured during practice for the Italian championship at [[Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli|Misano]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/sport/vari/2013/06/16/news/europei_scherma_di_francisca-61231458/|title=Scherma, Europei: Di Francisca oro nel fioretto|newspaper=La Repubblica|date=16 June 2013}}</ref>

A month later at the [[2013 World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] she cruised to the semi-finals, where she met [[Carolin Golubytskyi]]. The bout was marked by an incident similar to that of their London Olympic encounter: during a collision Di Francisca struck a hard blow to Golubytskyi's mask with her bell guard, sending her opponent stumbling. She was shown a red card for dangerous action and received a penalty hit. The bout went into overtime and Golubytskyi struck the winning hit, dooming Di Francisca to a bronze medal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/fecht-wm-in-budapest-golubytskyi-gewinnt-mit-blutiger-nase-silber-1.1741587|title=Golubytskyi gewinnt mit blutiger Nase Silber|newspaper=Süddeutsche Zeitung|date=7 August 2013|language=de}}</ref> In the [[Women's team foil at the 2013 World Fencing Championships|team event]] the Italian "Dream Team" asserted their domination in emphatic manner, cruising to the final then prevailing 45–18 against France to earn the world title.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Vari/Altri_Sport/Scherma/10-08-2013/scherma-mondiali-squadre-dream-team-errigo-sciabola-azzurra-20937380619.shtml|title=Mondiali, Italia Dream Team travolgente: vittoria d'oro sulla Francia, battuta 45–18|first=Marisa|last=Poli|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|date=10 August 2013|language=it}}</ref>

[[File:Award ceremony 2014 European Championships FFS-EQ t210257.jpg|thumb|left|Di Francisca (L) with Team Italy and coach [[Andrea Cipressa]] on the podium of the [[2014 European Fencing Championships|2014 European Championships]]]]

In the [[2013–14 Fencing World Cup|2013–14 season]] Di Francisca claimed three silver medals in St Petersburg, Tauberbischofsheim and Turin, as well as a bronze medal in Marseille. At the [[2014 European Fencing Championships|European Championships]] in Strasbourg she made her way to the semi-finals where she met [[Valentina Vezzali]]. After a cagey beginning which saw the first period end on 1 all, Di Francisca took control of the bout, striking 10 hits in a row and closing on 15–3. In the final she met another Italian, [[Martina Batini]], against whom she had lost in the final at Tauberbischofsheim earlier in the season. Her opponent took a 5–2 lead, but Di Francisca hit 13 times in a row to conquer her third European title.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport-Vari/Scherma/10-06-2014/europei-scherma-fioretto-di-francisca-vezzali-batini-medaglia-montano-fuori-80888493097.shtml|title=Europei Scherma: Di Francisca trionfa, Batini argento, Vezzali bronzo|first=Marisa|last=Poli|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|date=10 June 2014|language=it}}</ref> In the team event Italy reached the final without any hassle, but met with strong opposition from Russia, who led most of the match. Chosen to close against [[Inna Deriglazova]], Di Francisca entered the last leg on 38–40 for Russia. Deriglazova gained a 4–0 lead, taking the score to 44–38 with only one hit needed for the victory and 2′04″ to go. Di Francisca hit six times in a row to level the score. She finally struck the winning hit with one second remaining, allowing Italy to retain their European title and taking her second double European gold haul in a row.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport-Vari/Scherma/14-06-2014/scherma-europei-finale-80926135492.shtml|title=Bis d'oro per Dream Team e sciabola|newspaper=Gazzetta dello Sport|first=Marisa|last=Poli|date=14 June 2014|language=it}}</ref>

At the [[2014 World Fencing Championships|World Championships]] in Kazan Di Francisca had a tight 15–14 victory over Egypt's [[Eman Shaaban]], then reached easily the quarter-finals. She met Martina Batini, who took revenge of the Strasbourg final by defeating her 15–6.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.corriere.it/sport/14_luglio_19/mondiale-kazan-trionfo-fioretto-femminile-italiane-errigo-batini-vezzali-5d14930c-0f68-11e4-a021-a738f627e91c.shtml|title=Mondiale fioretto, podio italiano Trionfo per Errigo, Batini, Vezzali|first=Flavio|last=Vanetti|newspaper=Il Corriere della Sera|date=19 July 2014}}</ref> In the [[Women's team foil at the 2014 World Fencing Championships|team event]], Italy cruised again to the final, where they met Russia once more. The score stayed very tight until the three last legs. Di Francisca entered the penultimate leg on 33–35 for Italy and consolidated the advantage, taking it to 35–40 before Errigo closed on 45–39. Italy finished the year having won all team competitions.

In the [[2014–15 Fencing World Cup|2014–15 season]] Di Francesca earned a silver medal in the Turin Grand Prix after losing 7–15 to Arianna Errigo in the final. After the Gdańsk World Cup in January 2015 she had a problem with her left ankle and was rested for the following World Cup stage in Algiers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ilsecoloxix.it/p/sport/2015/02/08/ARUw7ETD-mondiali_fiorettiste_conquista.shtml|title=Mondiali, il "dream team" delle fiorettiste azzurre conquista Algeri|newspaper=Il Secolo XIX|date=8 February 2015|language=it}}</ref> She bounced back to win three competitions in a row: the Havana Grand PrixTauberbischofsheim, the Tauberbischofsheim World Cup and the Shanghai Grand Prix.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://pianetascherma.com/2015/05/16/uno-due-tre-elisa/|title=Uno, due, tre… Elisa!|first=Mattia|last=Boretti|newspaper=Pianeta Scherma|date=16 May 2015|language=it}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Elisa Di Francisca is married to Ivan Villa and has two children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ilsussidiario.net/news/chi-e-elisa-di-francisca-dalle-vittorie-al-matrimonio-con-il-marito-ivan-villa-ai-due-figli-ettore-e-brando/2769997/|title=Chi è Elisa Di Francisca/ Dalle vittorie al matrimonio con il marito Ivan Villa, ai due figli Ettore e Brando|website=Il Sussidiario|language=it|date=11 November 2024|access-date=21 December 2024}}</ref> She considers herself Roman Catholic.<ref>{{Cite magazine|first=Lucio|last=Giordano|title=A vent'anni ho vissuto un momento di buio, ma ho resistito perché con me c'è sempre stato Dio|language=it|magazine=Dipiù|date=27 December 2024|number=51|pages=78-81}}</ref> 

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}
* {{FIE|4464}}
* {{EFC|00689610}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20101007065751/http://www.eurofencing.info/athletes/biography/elisa-di-francisca archive])
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com profile}}
* {{CONI profile}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Fencing Women Individual Foil}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Fencing Women Team Foil}}
{{World Champions in Women's Foil}}
{{Footer Women's Foil World Cup Champions}}
{{Italian Sportswoman of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Di Francisca, Elisa}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
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