TRENT. After Filippo Ganna’s bitter silver in the individual road cycling time trial in Paris, Italy’s first medal, two bronzes came last night, in swimming and fencing. A debut result perhaps below expectations, but we are only on the first day of the Olympics. Ganna made no secret of the fact that he was aiming for gold but was edged out by Belgium’s Evenepoel by 14 seconds.
In swimming, the Italian men finished third in the 4X100 freestyle.
Luigi Samele came third in fencing: he defeated Egypt’s Ziad Elsissy in the final.
This morning, Sunday, the group stage debut for the Italian volleyball team, yesterday was the first match for the men, the team defeated Brazil 3-1.
THE FIRST DAY
Elena Bertocchi-Chiara Pellecani finished fourth in the 3m synchronized springboard diving. Fiamingo disappoints: Rio 2016 gold medallist eliminated in the round of 32
The volley hit the net, Brazil defeated three sets to one.
Federico Nilo Maldini and Paolo Monna in the 10m pistol final.
Organizers have cancelled this morning’s triathlon practice session on the Seine due to water pollution.
TRENTINI IN THE COMPETITION: DAYS AND EXPECTATIONS
Eight athletes from Trentino were called up to wear the green jersey for the Paris Olympics. But here, in chronological order, are the main characters and ambitions of “our” champions.
Gianluca Galassi
The debut went to the Mezzocorona midfielder, who will play for Gas Sales Piacenza from next season. At the South Paris Arena 1, which will host all men’s volleyball matches, the Azzurri decisively defeated Brazil 3-1.
The Azzurri will then take on Egypt at 9am on Tuesday 30 July and European champions Poland, favourites to win the gold medal, at 5pm on Saturday 3 August. Italy will progress to the quarter-finals (the top two and the two best third-placed teams from the three groups will qualify), which are scheduled for Monday 5 August. The schedule then includes the semi-finals on Wednesday 7 August, the third-place play-off on Friday 9 at 4pm and the final on Saturday 10 August at 1pm.
Goal: At the Olympics Italy won 3 silver medals and 3 bronze medals, just missing the gold medal. Galassi and his teammates are determined to work towards this goal.
Nicolo Renna
In the waters of Marseille, the first of three Italian sailors to race will be the “son of the wind”.
On Sunday 28th, starting at 12:00, the first qualifying tests for the spectacular men’s iQFoil will take place on 29th, 30th July and 1st August. The final playoffs are scheduled for Friday 2nd August. The goal: Nicolò to win the 2023 European Championship and be the reigning world champion. Ultimately, the regulations of this windsurfing class present a kind of Russian roulette where anything can happen, but the 23-year-old from Garda has the right attitude and the audacity to aim for the top step of the podium.
Gianluca Pozzatti
Two commitments for the triathlete from Pergine. On Tuesday 30 July, starting at 8am at Pont Alexandre III, he will compete in the individual event, on Monday 5 August, again from 8am, in the mixed relay. Goals: At the Tokyo Olympics, three years ago, Gianluca finished 37th in the individual event and 8th in the mixed relay, in Paris he can and must do better.
Chiara Benini Floriani
In Marseille, the Ilca 6 regatta, the class in which the Riva sailor will compete, is scheduled from Thursday 1 to Monday 5 August, also from 12 noon. The goal: at the junior level he has already won world titles, at the absolute level he has yet to prove his worth. He did it last year in Marseille, taking third place in the Olympic trials. If he can participate in the medal race on Tuesday, August 6, in which the 10 best from the qualifiers will receive, it would be a great result.
Nadia Battocetti
The Stade de France in Paris will be the theatre for the queen of Olympic sports, athletics. Middle-distance runner Nonesa will be on the track on Friday 2 August at 6.10pm for the 5,000 metres with the final likely to take place on Monday 5 August (9.10pm); attention will then turn to the live 10,000 metres final on Friday 9 at 8.55pm. The goal: at the European Championships in Rome, Nadia achieved a great double in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. In Paris, his attention will be focused on the 5,000 metres, a race in which he achieved a great 7th place in Tokyo.
The competition from the African athletes is strong but if the final does not take place at a breakneck pace, Nadia will be able to start quickly in the final and aim for a top 5 place. Then dreaming is always possible.
Roger Tita
The reigning Olympic champion in Nacra 17, teamed with Roman Caterina Banti, will hit the water on Saturday 3 August to begin the qualifying races that run until 6 August. The medal race is scheduled for Wednesday 7 August. The goal: in their class, Tita-Banti have won everything there is to win: 4 world championships, 4 European championships, 1 world championship and the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo. Even CONI president Giovanni Malagò has declared that their green gold is the safest.
If nothing goes wrong, Ruggero and Caterina will still stand on the top step of the podium in their “last dance”. Then the sailor from Trentino will think about another great goal: the America’s Cup.
Letizia Paternoster
At the Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines Velodrome, the Nonesa cyclist will make his debut on Tuesday, August 6 at 1:52 p.m. for the first round of the team pursuit event. The final is scheduled for the same day at 6:57 p.m. Letizia will then close the Games on the final scheduled day of competition, Sunday, August 11, with the omnium: starting at 11 a.m. with the time trial, continuing at 11:57 a.m. with the time trial and at 12:53 p.m. with the elimination round. The final will end at 1:56 p.m. with the points race.
Goal: in a long interview with l’Adige Letizia made no secret that she wants two medals. He has the right mindset and conditions to succeed.
Yeman Crippa
This year’s women’s marathon will close the athletics programme on the final day of the Games. The men’s event will take place on Saturday 10 August, starting at 8am. The goal: Yeman has been working for this competition for months. In the meantime, he won gold in the half marathon at the European Championships. The same goes for Nadia Battocletti: the African competition is very strong, starting with Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who is aiming for a hat-trick (he won in Rio and Tokyo), considering that the last non-African to win the Olympic marathon was Stefano Baldini twenty years ago in Athens. But if the pace is not so fast, Crippa could finally have his say. A top 10 finish is possible, a top five would be fantastic. But Yeman also likes to dream big.
(Edited by Guido Pasqualini)