Josefa Idem is a West German-born Italian sprint canoer turned politician. Competing in eight Summer Olympics, she has five medals. Winning 35 international medals during her career, Idem was the first Italian woman to win World Championships and Olympic medals in canoe sprint. At the 2009 world championships, she became the oldest medalist in the history of the world championships. After her retirement, she was elected in 2013 as member of the Italian Parliament for the Democratic Party, and successively named Minister for Equal Opportunities and Sports as part of the cabinet of Enrico Letta. On 24 June 2013, she resigned from the charge because of judicial investigation on allegedly unpaid taxes. 

September 23rd, 1964 in Goch (Age 59)