Burdisso, Rizza, Boggioni and the other Italian medal winners received by Mattarella and Draghi
PAVIA
The Olympians from Pavia Federico Burdisso, Manfredi Rizza and Monica Boggioni were received at the Quirinale, together with the other Italian medal winners at Tokyo 2020, by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and at Palazzo Chigi by Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Justified absent archer Mauro Nespoli, engaged in the world championships being held in the United States. The Head of State gave all the athletes a plaque in memory of the feat.
“It was exciting, both to meet with the other members of the blue expedition to the Olympics in such an exclusive setting, and to have the honor of being rewarded by President Mattarella himself, to receive compliments from him and from Draghi – explains Manfredi Rizza, canoeist , silver in K1 200 – A beautiful day that I will always remember ». Monica Boggioni, winner of three bronze medals in Paralympic swimming: «The day before I also participated in the Federnuoto party which for the first time brought together both Olympic and Paralympic medalists. Then the police chief received the medalists of the Gold Flames and so I found myself next to Gianmarco Tamberi (gold on the top) and Marcel Jacobs (gold in the 200 floors and in the relay), and I took souvenir photos with them. The afternoon at the Quirinale was very exciting, both the president of Coni Giorgio Malagò and that of the Paralympic Committee, Pancalli, were present. The route from the Foro Italico to the Quirinale and to Palazzo Chigi we did it on open buses, on which all the most beautiful photos taken in Tokyo had been affixed. Mattarella and Draghi underlined how fundamental sport has been as a message of hope and rebirth for the whole country. It was everyone’s Olympics and Paralympics, a way for all Italians to feel united and successful ». Federico Burdisso, bronze in the 200 butterfly and in the mixed relay, reached Italy with a flight from Chicago (he studies Economics at the Northwester University of Evanston) and in Rome he hugged his parents, and then left yesterday for the States. –