It’s a partnership that fans are finding anything but cheesy.
After winning silver in the women’s artistic gymnastics final on Tuesday, it was uncovered that Team Italy’s Giorgia Villa has a second slice that’s worth watching.
Villa, the 21-year-old gymnast, is also a partner with iconic cheese brand Parmigiano Reggiano.
Although Villa hasn’t made an Instagram post next to a different kind of circular prize since 2022, her photos from years past have gone viral.
A highlight is her hugging a wheel of parmesan almost as big as her with the accompanying caption, “Always together with my best friend @parmigianoreggiano, ready to start again and face new challenges!”
Others include Villa doing handstands on wheels of parm and eating wrapped bites of the cheese while relaxing from training.
While in Paris, Villa posted a 13.766 score on uneven bars during Rotation 2, the only event in which she competed in the artistic gymnastics team final.
Nonetheless, she and fellow Italians Angela Andreoli, Alice D’Amato, Manila Esposito and Elisa Iorio placed second with a total 165.494 score, behind the United States’ 171.296.
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Villa is making her Olympic debut this summer, but she’s thoroughly decorated throughout the gymnastic ranks.
Villa finished first on balance beam and second in uneven bars at the 2023 Baku World Cup and also claimed a gold medal during the 2022 European Championships in the team category.
Thus far, Italy has racked up 13 medals — which ranks seventh among all competing nations — and six silvers.
The 5-foot-5 Villa joins the ranks of other Olympic athletes to generate buzz and niche supporters for their eccentric interests.
Others include British swimmer (and knitter) Tom Daley, American pommel horse specialist an Rubik’s Cube enthusiast Stephen Nedoroscik and American rugby bronze medalist Ilona Maher.