Catania. When you win a lot, you risk that triumphs will be taken for granted. This is the biggest mistake to make, because winning is very difficult. Losing is much easier. Ekipe Orizzonte Catania raised its 21st Scudetto in the sky of Padua and triumphed at the end of a very complicated season, conditioned by the pandemic and by some empty passages that undermined its path.
He won at the end of a series of finals against an opponent of the highest level, who must be given credit for having stood up to the Catania team until the last penalty of the last match. But in the end, the Horizon won. Once again.
At the helm of this legendary team are two women, two friends. One is Martina Miceli and she is the coach, the other is Tania Di Mario and by profession she is the president and they are the extra edge of the team.
How did Tania arrive, is this the most important Scudetto?
«Perhaps everything that has happened in the last year and a half between pandemics, postponements, postponements, excellent defeats, problems in moving and in training has complicated the path. Maybe that’s why in the end everything becomes more electric ».
The Setterosa’s failure to qualify for the Olympics has made some of your players fragile. Was that the hardest moment?
“Having chosen so many national team athletes in a year as important as this was a risk. But we made choices about people and we knew that if things went wrong it would be difficult. We hoped until the end, even for them, that the Setterosa would qualify for Tokyo. I have been an athlete and I know the pain you feel. Not being able to participate, in a critical age as it could be for some of them, is worse than being there and then losing. That event meant that in a second some of them could not play normally, that defeat weighed too much, until the last match played in Padua ».
Speaking of Game 5, would you have wanted to play it?
«Anyone who has been a player at these levels inevitably has the desire to play certain games. These are races that remain in the heart forever. It was great to see our girls play and it was great to see Martina lead them to the end. I got excited ».
Has the party already been?
«After race-5 we stayed in Padua and went to dinner with all the people who supported us in this particular season. I think it is an important moment to end this season together ».
Aiello, Gorlero and Garibotti apparently will leave water polo, is a cycle for the horizon closing?
«I really think so, but we were aware of it, everything that has happened in this year has led us towards this consideration. But I am happy that the girls have played at their best, it is important in the life of an athlete to close as winners, they deserve it, then I do not know if they will think again like I did, who stopped 7 times ). At this moment they are reflecting on what to do, but everyone knows that the door is open ».
Back to the Finals, were there any moments you thought it was a haunted series?
“We never thought that bad luck had turned its back on us, we just wanted to think about the moment and that was the secret. Sometimes we thought that something was going against us, like after game-1 lost on penalties, after Viacava’s penalty was clearly inside and was not seen. But at that moment we thought there was no point in complaining, we turned the page and looked forward. In certain situations everyone behaves as he thinks, we went ahead because we thought we could do it, we just had to get out of the water knowing that we had given everything. The rest mattered little. “
After race-4, Padova harshly criticized the refereeing …
«I am sorry, I admit it made me feel bad. I have great experience in finals played and I have seen many errors and mistakes, among these, I repeat, the penalty of Viacava transformed and not assigned by the referees. But never, in the past, a single mistake has determined a series of endings, they have taught me that if you want one thing, and you have another opportunity, you still have time to conquer it. I would add that it is the first time since I am president that I am sorry for the team that did not win. For the girls, for the club and for the coach. I know what they are feeling ».
Would you like to explain your relationship with Martina Miceli?
«When I stopped playing it was natural to continue to help her, I think the coach is the most important part of a team. I believed it before and I believe it even more now that I am president. We all have the task of supporting her, but she does the biggest job. I like to think that what we have done together we have done with a different method. As women, with strengths and weaknesses, but the method has brought important results and I’m proud of this. It means that women who have played water polo can direct it ».
And if one day the head of the Setterosa were a woman?
“What if it’s Martina?” It would be nice”.