After the gold and silver at the European Art Championships, the 15-year-old from Pavia tells her story: “A sacrifice to move to Milan, but it was the right choice”
the interview
The great promise of Italian artistic gymnastics is from Pavia, a “wren” of 1.53 centimeters for 42 kilograms of weight: Arianna Grillo. Raised in the Pavese Gymnastics, 15-year-old Arianna literally exploded at the recent European junior championships in Munich, where she won the team gold medal and individual silver on the beam, while the week before she had won gold in the mixed and the bronze to the beam at the Eyolfs, the European Youth Olympic Festival. Successes obtained under the eyes of her brother Alessio and her parents, her mother Chiara and her father Fabio, who have always supported her in her choices, despite being aware of the sacrifices that her daughter had to face, even more so since she was just thirteen years old. , she was asked to attend the National Academy in Milan. Now her dream is the Olympics.
Arianna, what is your favorite exercise?
«The free body, this is because I am able to express myself at my best and have fun while I perform my exercise. My idols? The senior artistic team, the “fairies”, especially in these European championships, I got very close to them and one day I hope to reach their levels ».
What do you love the least?
«The parallel because since my injury two years ago I have not yet managed to regain so much confidence in dealing with this tool. I would like to improve in all the tools but in particular I will strive to raise the starting value to the parallel ».
Your beginnings in artistic gymnastics?
«I practiced swimming, then I tried gymnastics for three years and I immediately fell in love with this sport. I have dedicated myself to it with great commitment ».
From the Eyolf youth games, you seemed more confident at the European Championships in Munich.
“It is the truth. I aimed to improve accuracy and safety while performing my exercises, obviously my favorite medal is the gold in the team in the European championship because we have earned it all the way not only with the execution of the exercises but also with a real team spirit”.
Since when have you been training at the Milan Academy?
«For eight years, but two in particular, I moved to Milan and I train there every day. Moving permanently to Milan was a conscious choice, even though I knew that I would face various difficulties to overcome. Surely I had to put in a lot more effort also in training because I realized that it was a serious thing and therefore I also faced many sacrifices, including spending much less time with my family (who always lives in Pavia) and friends. But I did it because I love this sport very much and the successes confirmed that it was the right choice ».
What is your life in Milan?
«We train from 8.30 to 12.30, then we have lunch to resume from 14 until after 16. During the school period, it should be added that we also attend lessons from 16.30 to 19.30. I attend a private school within the Milan Academy ».
The dream in the drawer?
«That of all athletes when they start their career, that is to go to the Olympics, but before that there are many other objectives to be achieved ». –
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