Considering her fabulous results from the previous world and international championships, 24 years old native Italian Silvia Farigu's winning the microweight division at this year's ITF World Championship was no surprise. Yet, it is a meaningful step for her as it marks her entering into the life of an adult competitor.

Previously Silvia competed on the junior level, and won a silver from 2002 Junior World Championship in Argentina, a gold from the 2004 competition in Korea, and another silver in England in 2007. This year she scored two gold medals from Individual Sparring and Patterns, and a bronze from Special Kick.

Silvia began Taekwondo at the age of 8. As a youth she was an avid fan of basketball and practiced whenever she could. However, one day she had to change her class schedule in order to be picked up after the school, and it was the Taekwondo class she joined instead. And under Master Pierpaolo Lecca, she fell in love with Taekwondo.
Now an architecture student in university, she has a busy life. Nevertheless, her love of Taekwondo continues. "I can't sleep well if I don't practice Taekwondo," Silvia confessed with a big grin. Right now she teaches 13 students twice a week. Her students also won at the junior level this year, and Silvia is very proud of them.

She also offered a bit of philosophical insight on practicing Taekwondo: "I enjoy every fight and I feel good during the competition. Even if I lose, it means I have to train more and grow up for the next time" and "[regarding this year's World Taekwondo Festival where ITF and WTF competitors met for the first time] I think competing together with different areas, all together, is very good. Students want to enjoy Taekwondo, and political division is not good."