Olympics, all the Azzurri in Tokyo: 384 Italians qualified

The inaugural ceremony scheduled for Friday opens the most troubled edition in history after the postponement of a year due to the Covid pandemic: 384 Italian athletes, with the aim of doing better than in Rio, when the Azzurri won 28 medals.

With 76 players called up (the largest delegation in history), the Italian athletics aims to return to the podium after the zero medals of Rio 2016. Behind captain Gianmarco Tamberi, eyes on Marcell Jacobs (in the photo) and Filippo Tortu (100), Davide King in the 400, Yeman Crippa in the 5000 and 10.000, Paolo Del Molin in the 110 hs, Leonardo Fabbri in the weight, Eyob Faniel in the marathon, Massimiliano Stano in the 20 km walk, in addition to the relays. The blue women have not been on the Olympic podium since Beijing 2008 (bronze by Elisa Rigaudo in the 20 km). After the forfeit due to an injury of Larissa Iapichino, the hopes are entrusted to Antonella Palmisano (fourth in the 20 km 5 years ago) and Eleonora Giorgi (march), but also Luminosa Bogliolo (100 hs), Nadia Battocletti (5000), Elena Vallortigara and Alessia Trost (top) Roberta Bruni (auction). Also watch out for the relays.

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In the slalom canoe Giovanni De Gennaro returns to the assault of the Olympic podium after the 7th place in Rio, in the hopes speed from K2 of Samuele Burgo and Luca Beccato. For rowing, the Azzurri line up 9 crews and the four of the male couple (in the photo) are ripe for an important result: with Gentili, Rambaldi and Panizza, Venier will take the place of the late Mondelli, who passed away on 29 April. Also expected for the 4th without male, in addition to the male double (Oppo-Ruta) and the female double (Rodini-Cesarini).

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Double goal for Filippo Ganna (in the center of the photo), who chases a couple of podiums never achieved in the same edition: the world champion will compete in the individual time trial on the road and then on the track, in the team pursuit. In the team test there are Vincenzo Nibali, Alberto Bettiol, Gianni Moscon, Damiano Caruso and Giulio Ciccone, expected from a challenging track. Elia Viviani is pursuing the confirmation of the gold in the Omnium and also focuses on the Americana, with Simone Consonni. Among the women Elisa Longo Borghini plays her cards in the online test, while Letizia Paternoster will try it in the Omnium and in the Americana.

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After Giorgia Villa’s forfeit due to injury, the Italians rely on the experience of Vanessa Ferrari (in the photo), at the fourth Olympics. In art, the Farfalle by Emanuela Maccarani aim for a bang after the silver in Athens 2004 and the bronze in London 2012. Marco Lodadio’s goal for men is the podium in the rings.

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Historic debut for karate, with Viviana Bottaro (kata) and Luigi Busà (kumite) candidates for the podium and Angelo Crescenzo (in the photo) to dream of the coup. The star of the fight is Frank Chamizo, looking for gold after the Rio bronze. The other naturalized Cuban, Conyedo Ruano, could be the 97 kg surprise. In boxing there are no blues, but women – Irma Testa and Angela Carini above all – are chasing the medal. In taekwondo, eyes on Vito Dell’Aquila and Simone Alessio. Always on the podium since 1992, judo relies above all on Odette Giuffrida (outgoing silver), Fabio Basile (gold in Rio in the 66 kg, now in the 73 kg category) and the young Manuel Lombardo and Christian Parlati.

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Four medals in Rio, blue fencing is on the podium in all weapons: as always, foil leads the forecasts, both in men (starting with the Olympic champion Daniele Garozzo) and in women (with Alice Volpi, in the photo, and Arianna Errigo). The saber (with Aldo Montano’s last Olympics) dreams with Luca Curatoli and the team, the sword relies on the silver men’s team in Rio and the women’s team aiming high with Mara Navarria, Rossella Fiamingo and Federica Isola.

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Can Rio’s booty be improved when Paltrinieri (pictured) was gold in the 1500s and Bronze Sayings in the 400s and 1500s? Greg starts again as a favorite, although held back by mononucleosis, and is also aiming for the 800 and the bottom. Said will also jump into the 800s. Hopes for Nicolò Martinenghi (100 frog), Alessandro Miressi (100 sl) and Federico Burdisso (200 butterfly). The blues respond with a stellar poker: in addition to captain Federica Pellegrini (who chases the fifth consecutive final in the same specialty), Simona Quadarella doubles her ambitions with 1500 and 800, the 16-year-old Benedetta Pilato wants to amaze in the 100 frog (with her also Martina Carraro ) and Margherita Panziera in the 200 backstrokes.

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Four years ago in Rio it was Campriani who dominated, now in shooting range the Azzurri rely on veteran De Nicolo and European champion Sofia Ceccarello. In the skeet shooting, the flag-bearer Jessica Rossi targets the brace (she is also competing in the mixed trap with her ex-husband Mauro de Filippis), but Italy aims for en plein with Diana Bacosi and Gabriele Rossetti (defending champions) who will have to beware of Tammaro Cassandro and Chiara Cainero. In archery without the men’s team, Mauro Nespoli (pictured) will try to return to the podium after the gold in Rio. Hopes especially from the mixed doubles.

CLICK HERE to see the factsheets of the shooting, volley and archery teams

Matteo Berrettini’s last-minute forfeit removes an arrow from the blue tennis that points to a medal that has been missing since 1924. In addition to the singles, Berrettini was enrolled in the double with Fognini (in the photo). Without many stars – among others there will not be Nadal, Thiem, Federer, Shapovalov – Italy is betting on veteran Fognini, but also on Sonego and Musetti, who entered the draw after Sinner’s resignation. In the women’s few hopes for a medal for Giorgi, Errani Paolini.

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The return of men’s basketball (in the photo) after the Belgrade feat, the golden taboo to be dispelled by men’s volleyball, the podium never arrived before by the women’s one, the Settebello ready for the enterprise as well as beach volleyball: in Tokyo the blue teams play for important goals. The softball, women’s 3×3 and renewed synchro race is more complicated.

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From the onset of climbing (podium hopes for Laura Rogora), to the golf stars – with Paratore at the start instead of the injured Molinari – Italy also plays its aces in pentathlon (Alice Sotero), skateboarding (Ivan Federico ), surfing (Leonardo Fioravanti), triathlon (especially with the mixed relay), and sailing (in particular with the Nacra 17 flying catamarans of the couple Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti). In the weights there has been no blue medal since Los Angeles 1984 and in particular Nino Pizzolato (pictured) will try to break the fast. Hopes of podium also for the complete equitation. In table tennis, debut Debora Vivarelli competes.

CLICK HERE to see the blues’ cards