Valentina Petrillo’s book Più veloce del tempo. Il viaggio della prima atleta transgender verso la felicità is not just the autobiography of an athlete, but a chronicle of resilience, courage, and the pursuit of authenticity. Written with journalists Claudio Arrigoni and Ilaria Leccardi, the volume takes the reader on a journey through the triumphs and obstacles of a woman who challenged both disability and prejudice to make history in the world of sport. Valentina’s voice carries the energy of the track, where each race has been a metaphor for survival, redemption, and freedom. She reminds us that running was never simply about speed. For her, athletics represented a way out, a chance to breathe, and a path to rediscover herself. On the track she found meaning, motivation, and answers when life’s difficulties seemed overwhelming. It was her revenge against the injustices of fate and her claim to a life lived on her own terms.
Born in Naples in 1973, Valentina grew up with a passion for running, inspired by the legendary Italian sprinter Pietro Mennea. Yet at the age of fourteen her life was transformed by Stargardt disease, a degenerative eye condition that gradually compromised her vision. What might have seemed like the end of a sporting dream became instead the beginning of another path. She turned to five-a-side football for the visually impaired, earning a place on the Italian national team. But deep inside, her first love remained athletics, and in 2014 she returned to the track, winning multiple national titles in the men’s category. Even then, her real race had yet to begin.
In 2019, Valentina started her gender transition, embracing an identity that had been suppressed for decades. This decision, which for many transgender people means liberation, became for her a double challenge: she would have to face not only societal prejudice but also sporting regulations that often treat transgender athletes with suspicion and exclusion. The following year, in September 2020, she made history by becoming the first transgender athlete to compete in the women’s category of the Italian Paralympic Athletics Championships. This moment marked a milestone not just for Valentina, but for trans inclusion in sport more broadly, opening doors for others who had long been kept on the sidelines.
Her performances in Paris were marked by personal bests, even if they did not lead to finals. For Valentina, the result was never just about medals. It was about existing, resisting, and showing that sport belongs to everyone. She demonstrated that hormone therapy and compliance with medical regulations did not erase her determination, even if they required her to adapt to a new physical reality. Her honesty about the changes in her strength and her transparency about meeting international requirements placed her firmly within the framework of fairness while also challenging narrow definitions of gender in athletics.
The book captures not only her career but also her personal journey. Valentina was married to a woman, with whom she shares two children, a son and a daughter. Her decision to transition inevitably affected her family life, yet it was also part of her truth. She writes openly about the costs and sacrifices of authenticity, but also about the liberation that came with embracing her identity. In her words one senses the weight of years lived in silence and the lightness of finally being able to run freely as herself.
The narrative is also political, as it raises questions about inclusion, discrimination, and the role of sports in social change. Valentina does not shy away from the controversies that surround transgender athletes, but instead presents her story as evidence that trans women can compete fairly while contributing to the richness of sport. Her journey resonates with anyone who has felt excluded, marginalized, or forced into invisibility. By telling her story she extends a hand to those still living in the shadows, reminding them that they too have the right to step into the light.
Beyond the book, Valentina’s life has inspired a forthcoming film titled 5 nanomoli – Il sogno olimpico di una donna trans. The project takes its name from the testosterone limit imposed on transgender athletes, a reminder of the scientific scrutiny under which women like her are placed. Yet Valentina has shown that she is more than a number, more than a regulation. She is a runner, a mother, a woman who refused to let time or society dictate her limits.
Più veloce del tempo is ultimately a story about the human spirit. It is about finding joy on the track despite failing eyesight, about running toward happiness while carrying the weight of misunderstanding, and about breaking barriers with every stride. Valentina Petrillo’s words remind us that freedom is often won through perseverance, and that happiness, like the finish line, is reached not only by speed but by the courage to keep moving forward. She has written a chapter of sports history, but even more importantly, she has given voice to countless others who dream of running their own race without fear.
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