«You have excited the Italians. There are times when sport takes on wider meanings. Our country, tried by the pandemic, is recovering, it has felt represented by the leading role of the Olympians and Paralympians; he felt well represented, he felt involved. You were actually a beautiful symbol ». President Sergio Mattarella said this when he received the Olympic and Paralympic athletes at the Quirinale. «This has been a great summer for sport. More and more women are paving the way for successes in our sport »added Mattarella.
“I conclude by emphasizing that you have been a team, you have shown friendship and integration between you, and you have solicited attention to sport and to practice sport”. Mattarella finally thanked the athletes: «Thanks to all of you for having honored, as President Malagó said, the flag in the Olympics and Paralympics. Very good, 109 medals, never so many ».
It was then Filippo Tortu who passed the baton of the 4×100 Olympic gold medal relay race in Tokyo to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella: the gift from the Coni delegation, formed by President Giovanni Malagò and the blue medalists at the Olympics.