Two years after a cardiac arrhythmia forced her to abandon volleyball, 17-year-old Irene Mariani has claimed Italy’s national gymboxe championship title following successful heart surgery. Treated by the arrhythmology team at Fondazione Monasterio’s Heart Hospital in Massa, Tuscany, Mariani underwent a decisive ablation procedure in 2023 that eliminated the source of her irregular heartbeat. Surgeons Silvia Garibaldi and Andrea Rossi performed the operation after cardiologist Massimiliano Cantinotti’s clinical assessment.
“Discovering my heart condition and quitting volleyball was devastating,” Mariani stated in a Foundation release, “but I trusted Monasterio’s expertise. Their professionalism and humanity gave me back my dreams.” By January 2024, she pivoted to gymboxe, training intensively before securing the national crown in June 2025.
Dr. Garibaldi emphasized, “Arrhythmias in young athletes demand meticulous care. With timely intervention using modern tools, a safe return to elite sport is achievable.” Mariani now urges peers with similar conditions to “seek expert help and never abandon hope.”