Bronze in the double lightweights, Oristano returns the island to medal in the Games after 57 years. In the same specialty the girls Cesarini and Rodini take gold. Super silver for Paltrinieri in swimming
TOKYO. Stefano Oppo with Pietro Ruta climbs on the podium of the Olympics. The lightweight double kept his promises by hitting third place and bronze at the Olympics. It is a historic result for Sardinia that thanks to the strong Oristano rower finds a medal at the Games after 57 years, that is, from the successes of the boxer Fernando Atzori and the knight Paolo Angioni in the other Japanese Olympics dated 1964.
The race of Oppo, 27, and Ruta, 34, who have been at the top of the specialty for years, was perfect. The success went to the very favorite Ireland. The Azzurri kept the pace of Germany in search of second place as the Irish played a perfect match, and then in the final they controlled the return of the Czech Republic going to the medal.
This is the order of arrival: 1) Ireland 6.06 “43, 2) Germany 6.07” 29, 3) ITALY 6’14 “30, 4) Czech Republic 6’16” 42, 5) Belgium 6’18 “10 , 6) Uruguay 6’24 “21. The Olympic bronze is added to a very respectable palmares of the Oppo-Ruda duo in which three world silver and one European gold shine.
Immediately after the good third place from Oristano with his comrade from Como, also on the rowing regatta field, the second gold medal for Italy finally arrived. The women’s light weight duo won it thanks to Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini. Race decided at the photofinish after the Netherlands, which led up to a few bars from the end, literally gave up, giving the green light to the blue and letting France also slip through.
For Italy it is the second gold in these Olympics after that of Vito Dell’Aquila in taekwondo. An extraordinary success to which a resounding silver in swimming was added during the Italian night thanks to super Greg Paltrinieri in the 800 free stle. Paltrinieri was recovering from a viral infection, mononucleosis weakened him and no one thought he could fight for the podium.
Instead, after the last useful place grabbed in qualifying, the blue risked winning by leading the race almost continuously and resisting second place in the last 50 meters behind the American Finke and ahead of the Ukrainian Romanchuck.
In the medal table, Italy therefore adds three medals to its loot which include 2 golds, 7 silvers and 9 bronzes.
On the beautiful day for Sardinia, the great success of volleyball, with Alessia Orro, against Argentina, overcome by 3-0, should be noted. (enrico gaviano)