STRATOSPHERIC BATTISTON AT THE BEGINNING TO THE GAMES, TAKES THE PLACE IN THE TEAM AND SCREAMS THE BRONZE FROM THE SCREAM TO THE ATTACK FROM 18 STOCKS IN THE SEMIFINAL FOR THE SABER, THEN IN THE FINALINA DOES HIS HER
The women’s Italsabola remains down from the Olympic podium again in the team competition, but celebrates the birth of a new star.
On the same platform on which Aldo Montano closed his career with an amazing team silver, Michela Battiston, 23 years old from Malisana di Torviscosa, began her bright journey among the giants of fencing. She, who in 2004, when Montano won individual gold in Athens, was only a child, now takes up the baton, in the female form, of her great idol. Yesterday was nothing short of epic.
Match as a reserve, in the semifinal against France, she was inserted in the place of Martina Criscio and won an incredible comeback.
With the Frenchmen clearly more perky on the platform and the blue ones always too passive, Italy found itself below 30-14 in the sixth assault, with hopes of victory reduced to a minimum. It was at that moment – perhaps too late – that coach Sirovich decided to play the Battiston card. Michela was unleashed and in a wonderful assault she demolished 18-5 Lembach, bringing Italy even to -3 (35-32).
The Air Force athlete, who grew up with the Masters Christian Rascioni and Sara Vicenzin at the Gemina Scherma in San Giorgio di Nogaro, managed to score a partial of 18 jabs against 5 of the opponent, putting the blues back into play.
Unfortunately, both Vecchi and Gregorio continued to struggle and France finished 45-39.
In the match that was giving away the bronze medal against South Korea, the blues started off on the right foot, leading up to 25-15, but a 5-11 suffered by Rossella Gregorio and a 3-9 just by Michela Battiston first put the Koreans back into the game and then took the lead as they won the victory and the third step of the podium with a score of 45-42. In the quarter-finals the Italians had defeated China 45-41, instead playing a match of great personality, always leading from the beginning. «Battiston incredible, Battiston revelation»: every news on the net underlines the amazing performance of the Friulian. Michela, an Air Force athlete, has a bright future ahead of her and this Olympics has given her the opportunity to shine in front of everyone.
Having joined the senior national team in a stable manner only in 2020, a year and a half ago she had contributed to the Olympic qualification of the team, but then had to regain a place: the pandemic had in fact stopped everything and the Friulian had to prove again that she was worth that place .
She moved to Foggia, leaving behind her beloved Malisana, whose name she always likes to remember (so much so that even the Rai commentators, during the commentary of the final, made it clear how much the Friulian would like to remember her origin). The move did her good. In Foggia she continued to grow, so much so that, a few months ago, she won the title of Italian vice-champion. Only at that moment did the official call for the Olympics arrive. The dream she had as a child has finally come true: that of becoming like Aldo Montano, from whom she was bewitched in 2004, watching him on TV, so much so that she decided to start practicing fencing. –