Rain of medals in swimming: double gold for Bocciardo, silver for Beggiato, two bronzes for Boggioni, record-breaking relay
ROME. “If this is a dream, don’t wake me!” It is all in the disbelief of Francesco Bocciardo – two gold medals in two days – the joy of the Italians of swimming at the Tokyo Paralympics. Six podiums in the seven finals in the tank of this second day bring Italy to fifth place in the overall medal table, with four golds, four silvers and three bronzes (behind China, Great Britain, Russia and Australia). Bocciardo, 27 years old from Genoa, won in the 100 freestyle category S5 (athletes with physical disabilities), repeating Wednesday’s triumph in the 200 of the same specialty. “I can’t be happier than that. I knew – the swimmer of the Fiamme d’oro said excitedly – that I would have to take advantage of my characteristics as a “two hundred meters”. Let’s say I didn’t believe it. But I said to myself Let’s try, let’s try, let’s try !. My coach explained to me that the last 20-25 meters would be decisive. “When the others are collapsing you will have to go to cannon.” So it was”.
Monica Boggioni, 27 years old from Pavia, graduated in Biotechnology who won two bronzes over the same distances and in the same category as Bocciardo at the Aquatic center in Tokyo also scored a double. Luigi Beggiato’s silver in the 100 freestyle category S4 (physical impairments) comes straight from the municipality that was the red zone after the first death from Covid in Italy. Moved by his gold in the 100 breaststroke category Sb9 (physical impairments) Stefano Raimondi. “I thought all night about fourth place yesterday,” admitted the 23-year-old from Verona. Then almost an omen for his partner, Giulia Terzi, a 26-year-old from Bergamo involved in the relay: «We will both go home very happy». And so it was, given that the mixed 4X50 saw the Azzurri (in the team, in addition to Terzi and Beggiato, 34-year-old from Milan Arjola Trimi and Antonio Fantin, 20-year-old from San Michele al Tagliamento, Venice) improve the European record set at the world championships. of 2019 and finishing second behind the unattainable Chinese, who also marked the new world record. Carlotta Gilli also repeated the podium, winning a silver in the 100 backstroke of the S13 category (visually impaired athletes) after yesterday’s gold in the 100 butterfly S13. «It is a silver – underlined the 20 year old from Moncalieri – which is worth a lot, in a context like this I knew it would be tough. We decided to do all the races in my category and this was the last of mine. For this reason I will go there and enjoy them next time ». Successes that attract the attention of institutions. According to Valentina Vezzali, undersecretary of state to the presidency of the Council, “the great work of recent years is now evident. But there is a lot to do and, in these days, with President Pancalli we are discussing some regulatory interventions concerning Paralympic athletes ».