Ilario Di Buò

Lore & Background

Ilario Di Buò competed in three Summer Olympics. At the 2000 Games he placed 20th in the individual competition and won a silver medal in the team event. In 2004 he advanced through the first two rounds of the individual competition, defeating his opponents to reach the round of 16, where he lost to fellow Italian Marco Galiazzo, who went on to win the gold medal; Di Buò finished 16th overall. He was also a member of the Italian men's team that placed 7th in 2004. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Di Buò scored 670 points in the ranking round, placing him 9th seed. He defeated Martin Bulíř in the first round 111–100, then faced Vic Wunderle in the second round; after both scored 108 points in regulation, an extra round was required, in which Di Buò scored 17 points to Wunderle's 19, ending his individual competition. In the team event, Di Buò competed alongside Marco Galiazzo and Mauro Nespoli. The Italian team entered the ranking round in sixth position with a combined score of 1,986. They defeated Canada 219–217, Malaysia 218–213, and Ukraine 223–221 to reach the final, where they scored 225 points but lost to South Korea's 227 points, taking the silver medal.

Reader's Guide

Ilario Di Buò's career is marked by consistent high-level performance across three Olympic Games, culminating in two team silver medals (2000 and 2008). His individual results, while not reaching the podium, show steady advancement: 20th in 2000, 16th in 2004, and a narrow elimination in the second round in 2008 after a tie-break. His ranking as former world number one underscores his standing in the sport during his peak. The 2008 team campaign, in particular, highlights his role in a strong Italian squad that defeated three opponents before falling to the dominant South Korean team by just two points. Di Buò's longevity and ability to contribute to medal-winning teams establish him as a significant figure in Italian archery.

Did You Know?

• At the 2008 Olympics, his second-round match against Vic Wunderle went to an extra round after both scored 108 points.
• He was part of the Italian team that lost to South Korea 227–225 in the 2008 team final.