Ovation for Milan, Navarria, Rossi, Aere and all the others. And with the athletes awards to managers, technicians and referees
TRIESTE. Winners and therefore examples. No to Trieste to the Porto Vecchio warehouse dedicated to a great cultural artist like Lelio Luttazzi, with that classic late summer sea in front of you that makes your soul jump, in front of the dozens of athletes returning from the double Olympic expedition to Tokyo, the president of the Regione Massimiliano Fedriga was clear.
«Not winning and therefore examples to follow, but simply winning examples». Applause. Chapeau say the French. The magical summer of Italian and also regional sport was celebrated on the last day of summer with the regional presidents of Coni, Giorgio Bradolin and that of the Italian Committee and the Italian Paralympic Committee of the Fvg Giovanni De Piero acting as grand ceremonies.
«Olympics and Paralympics? No, they weigh the same for us and we are the only region that celebrates everyone together, ”said Brandolin, anchorman on occasion. “Until Sunday evening with the victory of volleyball, which was able to overcome the absurd criticisms after the Games, we experienced successful days, thanks also to the support of the Region, and in particular to the councilor for sport Tiziana Gibelli, we brought 17 athletes to Tokyo, others at the Paralympics and then technicians, referees, coaches. Thanks to the companies and volunteers. We are a small region, but a great land of sport ». De Piero, on the other hand, recalled “the enormous steps forward made by the Paralympic movement, looking to the future with confidence as regards the accessibility of sports facilities for the disabled”.
And here Fedriga entered the scene: «I thank you because you proudly carried the Italian and Friuli Venezia Giulia flags to the Games and you distinguished yourself by setting an example. Which is not that of victory, but that of sacrifice, precisely what we must also give to the new generations.
The example you give does not build an athlete but an individual. I don’t want to have all Olympic medals, but people who are active part of this community. The Fvg is a great sporting region, but being a sporting region means putting up bricks for the citizens of tomorrow ».
Applause and away with the rumba of the awards, which could only begin with the gold medal of the Olympic expedition, the “Bull” of Buja Jonathan Milan. Because it’s okay to set an example, but if you give it, at twenty, even with a gold medal around your neck it’s even better. After the ovation for the champion in the quartet of the pursuit (“I prepare European and World Championships on the track, other than holidays”, he said), the commissioner Gibelli wanted to donate to Johnny, and then to the other winners, the volume of Melania Mazzucco with a story about the Tiepolo galleries. Who painted masterpieces in Udine, more or less like those made on the pedals by Milan, Ganna and associates in Tokyo. Then Mara Navarria, testimonial of Friuli, with his bronze in the team sword, a salute to Mirko Zanni, the other bronze already engaged in Rome to prepare new successes in weightlifting.
And then Giada Rossi, bronze in Paralympic table tennis, and Katia Aere, wonderful third in cycling. Then there were the now graduating in medicine Matteo Restivo, who in the meantime will swim up to the European Championships in Rome 2022 “and then we’ll see for Paris” and the timeless Chiara Cainero who, round and round, you will see, will end up aiming and hitting the clay pigeon of the sixth, sixth (here are the real president examples?) Olympics.
And again awards to the European champions of football, volleyball and cycling Sofia D’Odorico, Alex Meret, Bryan Cristante, Elena Cecchini, Alessandro De Marchi, all absent with excuse. Finally, plaques to managers and technicians, above all the coach “de l’omo la corva”, Brandolin said nicely with a slip that lasted a moment. Yes Jacobs. He is not from Friuli but how much he made us rejoice in this crazy blue summer.