One hundred competitors, one against the other, in a series of extreme endurance challenges spanning a wide range of disciplines: from triathlon to wrestling, from American football to skeleton, from Hyrox to Calcio Storico Fiorentino. Elisabetta Canalis and two other Sardinian athletes, Ithocor Meloni and Federica Murgia, will battle it out in "Physical Italia: 100 to 1," the first Italian edition of the spectacular physical competition on Netflix and produced by Endemol Shine Italy, which premieres on September 11th and runs through the final on October 2nd.
The famous ones
The last "survivor" wins, and among top contenders, it's not easy. However, there's no precedence for swimming legend Federica Pellegrini, ringmaster Jury Chechi, multiple medalist diver Tania Cagnotto, Italian national rugby player Mirco Bergamasco, former rugby player and TV personality Alvise Rigo, or influencer Luis Sal. In the gigantic arena set up at Turin's Lingotto, titles or followers don't even matter for kickboxer and model Elisabetta Canalis, called up to arms alongside two strong and hard-working colleagues from the island.
The runner
Runner Ithocor Meloni, 25, was also admitted to the Olympus. He flew from San Gavino Monreale to Milan to study and practice high-level athletics. Today, he's a coach and content creator: on his Instagram pages, you can see him training constantly, running along the Sardinian coast to the rhythm of the Barritas' "Gambale Twist," in Sanremo, or on the other side of the world, or breaking the steeplechase record at the cloisters of the Catholic University, where he graduated in Sports Science and Techniques. Among a thousand people who passed the selection process, Ithocor made it and immediately said yes, even knowing it was a leap into the unknown: "I didn't know what to expect: we athletes are used to our specialty, but here I completely stepped out of my comfort zone." There were many moments when he thought he wouldn't make it, he explains, and he even had several confrontations, "because there are so many of us and I have a strong personality, but I found a group of people of great value. Obviously, being surrounded by Olympic medals gave me an incredible boost." "I got along really well with Elisabetta Canalis," he says, "but also with Federica Pellegrini and Tania Cagnotto, who now works as my mental coach." It was an experience that taught him a lot, even on a personal level: "I realized that often the limits we set for ourselves are mental and that you can only reach the top by believing in yourself."
The personal trainer
Among the hundred champions is Federica Murgia, 41, a personal trainer from Iglesias and coach for the Italian Weightlifting Federation. With blonde hair and a fierce gaze, she proudly displays on social media the muscles she's worked on for 15 years: "Some people think muscles take away a woman's femininity. It's not for everyone, and that's precisely the beauty of it," she proclaims. And if it bothers some, so be it. Others—and there are many—will feel inspired. For her, too, the call came unexpectedly. "I was noticed during Rimini Wellness, and from there, the journey began." From then on, it was the usual "diet": training, nutrition, and focus. Even so, "there were some very challenging moments. I discovered aspects of myself that I'd never had the chance to truly test: during the most difficult phases, I tried to focus one step at a time, without letting the magnitude of the challenge overwhelm me." The connection with the Sardinians was a source of strength: "Being far from home and reconnecting with people from your homeland certainly creates a special bond. There was great mutual respect and a strong sense of belonging. Elisabetta Canalis proved to be a simple, helpful, and very human person—qualities that are often surprising when you meet people so well-known. With Ithocor, a spontaneous relationship was born right away." Among others? "Federica Pellegrini: an extremely competitive, determined, and authentic woman, with the mentality of a true athlete."