Who is Claudia Mancinelli? The Italian gymnastics coach who is making waves online

Claudia Mancinelli, a former actress turned Italian rhythmic gymnastics coach, became an unexpected social media sensation after a video of her fearlessly standing up to the judges at the Paris Olympics went viral. A video of her intense, serious reaction during the gymnastics competition at the Paris Olympics has taken social media by storm, earning her the royal title of “Queen” of the online world. The viral video has been viewed a whopping 34 million times.

It happened when the judges' initial scoring put Italian gymnast Sofia Raffaeli's chances of winning the all-around final in jeopardy. However, her coach Claudia Mancinelli was not going to let Raffaeli's hard work and dedication go to waste. She stepped in, confronted the judges and asked them to reconsider their scoring. The 39-year-old coach's angry march back to the bench was captured on video that went viral. Thanks to her, Raffaeli eventually won bronze in the women's rhythmic individual all-around.

Watch the video here:

this trainer could be angry with me at any time pic.twitter.com/62yJavINNr

– Kira 👾 (@kirawontmiss) 9 August 2024

Her fiery personality and unabashed confidence have made her an internet darling, with several people sharing her pictures and videos online, praising her beauty and confidence.

Claudia Mancinelli is the stunning head coach of the Italian 🇮🇹 rhythmic gymnastics national team

She is a former athlete and actress
Internet glitch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/201bBAXeSC

– Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) 10 August 2024

🧵Olympics Paris 2024.
Claudia Mancinelli, the woman you are. pic.twitter.com/Is7t3cygYt

— TOM (@ExploreworldTom) 10 August 2024

Who is she?

Claudia Mancinelli was born and raised in Fabriano. Her love for gymnastics began at a young age, when she trained under the tutelage of Kristina Ghiurova and Mirna Baldoni. Her dedication catapulted her local club from Serie B to the prestigious Serie A1. However, surprisingly, she gave up the sport to pursue a career as an actress.

Her screen debut led to roles in well-known films such as “Unique Brothers,” “The Tourist,” and “Nine.” However, fate had other plans. When renowned coach Julieta Cantaluppi resigned just ten months before the Paris Olympics, Ms Mancinelli was recalled by the federation to lead the national rhythmic gymnastics team to the Olympics.

Just months before the Olympic Games, Ms. Mancinelli faced a daunting challenge: to turn Sofia Raffaeli and Milena Baldassarri into world-class gymnasts. She accepted the challenge and forged an unbreakable bond with her gymnasts. Through trust, respect and dedication, Ms. Mancinelli brought out the best in them. Under her guidance, Ms. Raffaeli ultimately secured a historic bronze medal in the individual all-around.