Queens of swords, record butterflies and eternal Paltrinieri: gold, silver and bronze

The bitter beginning

The Olympic day did not start well. Two disappointments.

That of Jasmine Paolini who, in tennis, was forced to retire in the round of 16 after a match in which she lacked clarity: “Mentally I didn't feel 100% clear and the emblem was that match at 5-4 and the serve in the third with two bad forehands,” said the 28-year-old Tuscan. “I wasn't focused, I tried but it was hard, there was a bit of nervousness, I wanted to do well and that put a bit more tension in me and I had a hard time doing what I had to do.”

No Olympic medal for either of them Antonio Esposito.

The Italian was defeated in the bronze medal match in the 81 kilogram category judo. On the tatami of the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, Esposito is beaten by ippon by the Tajik Somon Makhmadbekov. “I am disappointed, I could already smell the medal. I imagined it and not because I thought I was stronger, but I believed in it.” Thus the sad comment of Antonio Esposito after the judo final for third place: “Coming home without a medal hurts. Unfortunately, one mistake is enough to lose. It seems like a haunted edition for judo because we are the strongest national team of all time, the rankings speak for themselves.”

Change the weather

Then, as often happens, the weather changes and the dark skies clear. Italy wins gold in the women's team épée. Historic silver for the blue butterflies in artistic gymnastics. Bronze for Paltrinieri in the 800 freestyle.

A day that, from gloomy, becomes memorable for the Azzurri of Paris 2024. It is our gymnasts who change the wind. A silver medal, theirs, which is worth more than any medal because they climb on the podium after 96 years Fairy Five blue: they are equal to “Pavesine”who won the silver medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and who will no longer be the only one from today.

After 98 years

They were the legendary girls of Pavia: another era and another competition. In 2024 the blue quintet, formed by Alice D'Amato, Manila Esposito, Angela Andreoli, Elisa Iorio (not in the best of shape due to the ankle injury he suffered on the first day of competition) e Villa Giorgiasigns a simply extraordinary performance and is preceded on the podium only by the inaccessible United States led by the superstar Simone Bileshas become a major protagonist again after the “blackout” experienced in Tokyo.

A silver that is worth gold and which rewards the superb work carried out by the movement in recent years. In the framework of the Bercy Arena the final is played in the last rotation. The score of Alice D'Amato on the parallel bars, 14,633 points, the highest of all in the competition: Her Majesty Biles also beat. The final “touch” to the great performance of the Italians is Angela Andreolisimply perfect: his extraordinary exercise is worth 13,838, booty which means money,

It should not be forgotten that in women's artistic gymnastics, Italy has only won one other medal, the silver with Vanessa Ferrari in the floor exercises at the Tokyo 2020 Games. In Paris, it is an unforgettable day for the Italian movement, a dream that represents a new beginning. The Fairies burst into tears and embrace each other.

Three Olympic Games

The opponents change, the challenges are more and more demanding, but he, from the Olympic podium, simply does not want to come down: Gregorio Paltrinieri rewrites the history of Italian swimming and becomes the first Italian to win a medal at three consecutive Olympic Games. At the Defense Arena in Nanterre, the giant from Carpi, thirty years old on September 5, wins the bronze medal in the 800 freestyle.

And to think that he was considering not taking part in this race: “Two weeks ago I spoke with Fabri (Antonelli, his coach, editor's note) and we thought that we would not do it, focusing on the 10 kilometres and the 1500, because it was better in terms of planning. Then, my competitive spirit took over”, says Super Greg who shows a new version of himself in the pool, sprinting less at the start and then gradually increasing the engine speed. Halfway through the race, Paltrinieri's progression is unstoppable, he even dreams of the title. Then, in the last 50 metres, the comeback from behind pushes the Italian onto the already low step of the podium.

Until the last blow

At the Grand Palais, where in an infinite echo of what is happening in all the rooms the spectators wanted to sing the Marseillaise, it is rather the notes of Mameli's anthem that resonate. In Paris the tricolor flag flies, but it is white, red and green. The French one is a little lower, in the space reserved for silver. The sword of the Italian women becomes gold. In this magnificent establishment a few meters from the Champs-Elysées and with the Eiffel Tower with its five circles in the background, Alberta Santuccio, Rossella Fiamingo, Giulia Rizzi and Mara Navarria They worked magic, transforming the continuous roar of the eight thousand spectators who welcomed them into a deafening silence.

30-29 in overtime (the extra minute) with Santuccio's last and magnificent jab. This is the result of a final that, at dinner time, on a very hot summer evening, makes Italy rejoice. In the ninth and spectacular final assault, Santuccio and Auriane Mallo-Breton take to the stage: in the din of the Gran Palais, the Frenchwoman brings her team back to 29-28, but Santuccio proves to be a true champion, equalizing first with 13 seconds left. went and then put into overtime the jab that goes down in history and makes the joy of the Italian team explode, also embraced by the president of CONI, Giovanni Malago.

For the French women, many bitter tears and, in any case, applause, at least until many left the establishment in the heart of Paris without attending the awards ceremony. It is too sad to lose a gold medal like that. It is too beautiful to win a gold medal in this way. In the expedition of the five circles, Italian fencing has also won a silver medal so far with Filippo Macchi in foil and a bronze medal with Luigi Samele in sabre. There are five other team events that could make it all even more brilliant.