Rowing, the doctor from Conegliano closes ninth with Ondoli: “We dissolved in a long embrace, we fought”
tokyo
An Olympic pass recaptured in June from the window, a ninth place that is not the final dreamed of but still better than the 11th of Rio 2016 (two without). Alessandra Patelli concludes the final B of the double in Tokyo with an intense hug with her boatmate Chiara Ondoli: behind that image the emotion of the second and, perhaps, last Olympics in the career of the Coneglianese doctor. A participation in five circles earned after a race against time, after failing the pass to Lucerne in the four without. A little more than a month of work with the Varese Ondoli (passing from the top row to the couple row) and a consolation final that still resembles a small sporting miracle: first, therefore seventh overall, closes the Australian rig, while the ‘Italy placed third (therefore ninth) at 1 ”17, after having recovered from fourth place at 1,500 meters.
Patelli files the Games satisfied, leaving a small door open for the continuation of international activity. After Rio she had taken a sabbatical year, implying that the abandonment of competitions was just around the corner. Instead he went on for another four years (thanks to the postponement of the Games), realizing the dream of the second Olympics: was Tokyo really Patelli’s last performance? “I’m happy, it was the best of all the races played in doubles with Chiara, even if I’m a little sorry to have finished third, then and there at the finish line I felt like I finished in second place”, reflects the 29-year-old Coneglianese. deserved to be summoned to the Games with the bronze double in the World Cup at the beginning of June, «I am prey to a mix of emotions and sensations, I feel like laughing and crying at the same time. And with Chiara we dissolved everything in a long embrace, moving the technical director. Maybe it’s my last Olympics, I say maybe because I said so too five years ago after Rio. And then, like other rowers, I took my words back, getting this far. A goal achieved with the support of my club, Canottieri Padova, which I thank ».
Then he adds: «I don’t know what will happen, initially you think you can’t wait to finish, then when you finish everything you already start missing. I’ll see later, in the meantime I keep the personal satisfaction of having fought to the end even here in Tokyo ». Now a little vacation, then the inevitable weeks of reflection. And the Specialty School in Sports Medicine to be completed. –
Mattia Toffoletto