A historic gold, two silvers worthy of applause, a fifth place that deserves only applause. Italy archives an excellent day at the Paris 2024 Olympics when the curtain falls on the competitions on August 4. The Games archive the first half, saying goodbye to fencing and swimming. At the halfway point, Italy reaches 22 medals: 7 golds, 10 silvers, 5 bronzes.
Tennis, golden doubles with Errani and Paolini
Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini win gold medal in the women’s doubles, writing a historic page for Italian tennis: never before had the tricolor racket won an Olympic title. Errani and Paolini completed the mission with a splendid comeback against the Russians Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, present at the Games as independent athletes, by 1-6, 6-2, 10-7.
“This final is crazy for how it went: we started the first set badly, then we were there and somehow we pulled it together. It was tough but we are really happy”, says Errani, who is taking satisfaction at 37 years old. “It was really difficult. I entered very tense and was struggling, then the tension went away a little and we started playing better. It was tough but we are really happy. It was truly a unique emotion”, echoes Paolini, who finally hits the target after the individual glory she almost achieved with the finals played at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
The balance of Italian tennis is excellent, if we add the bronze of Lorenzo Musetti. “In tennis, Italy won with two medals, a gold and a bronze that is worth as much as gold. We, who have come this far without Sinner and Berrettini, are the strongest nation in the world: for four years they told us that we were phenomenal because we had come tenth in the medal table, but we are first. A sensational result. Lorenzo’s bronze is worth gold, then Jasmine and those who assisted her did a great job, but these are the Olympics of two giants, Djokovic and Sara Errani, they have both completed the Golden Grand Slam, with these feats”, exults the president of the Fitp Angelo Binaghi.
Swimming, silver for the eternal Paltrinieri
The Italian swimming team bids farewell to the pool with yet another show by Gregorio Paltrinieri. On the threshold of 30 years, Super Greg takes the silver in the 1500 freestyle. A masterpiece, after the bronze in the 800 freestyle, which projects the veteran where no Italian swimmer has ever arrived: 5 Olympic medals, never anyone like him.
“To get on the podium again in the 1500, the race that I feel most mine, is splendid. Finke (gold medalist, ed.) started immediately, I didn’t expect it. I tried to keep up with him and I did it, then we know that Bobby’s last 50 meters are very strong”, says Paltrinieri.
“I won my fifth Olympic medal, it’s incredible. After each edition of the Games I think it won’t be the next one: I thought about it after Rio, I thought about it after Tokyo. And instead I’m still here, there are difficult moments but I’ve always continued to believe in myself, I’ve been constant. Now I have a few days of rest, for 3 days I have had a stress fever: I used to take my temperature up to an hour before the race, now I can rest a few days before the 10km”, he adds thinking about the open water race.
Fencing, silver foil
From the fencing platform, a total of 5 medals arrive for Italy: 1 gold, 3 silvers, 1 bronze. The last one is brought by the Italian men’s foil team, beaten in the final by Japan by 45-36. Tommaso Marini, Filippo Macchi, Guillaume Bianchi and Alessio Foconi surrender to the Japanese selection in a challenge that splits in two at the end. The definitive sliding door is the entrance of Foconi: the ‘joker’ takes a partial of 5-0 that gives a huge advantage to Japan, the hopes of a comeback evaporate quickly and the gold is gone.
100 meters, Jacobs deserves applause
The last course of the menu is represented by the 100 meters final.. Marcell Jacobs shows up on the track to defend the Olympic title he won in Tokyo. Qualifying for the final is already a first goal. ‘Marcello’ does not limit himself to making an appearance and honors the ranks of ‘defending champion’ with the best performance of the year: he runs in 9”85, thanks to an extraordinary start, and finishes in fifth place in the final won by the American Noah Lyles ahead of the Jamaican Kishane Thompson by just five thousandths: 9″784 the American’s time, 9”789 the time of Thompson in the first final of the 100 meters closed with all the competitors under the wall of 9”90.
“I can’t be too happy with the race. I gave it my all, the others were really strong. I would have liked to get a medal, it’s a shame”, says Jacobs. “My career doesn’t end here, there are still 4 long years to face together. We will continue to work hard as I have always done and as I will also do in the future”, says the Italian, who downplays the thigh problem he suffered at the end of the race: “Maybe I didn’t hydrate perfectly, I only had a cramp but in a few hours it will have passed and I will be ready to get on the track with the 4×100”.
#ErraniPaolini #gold #Paltrinieri #super #applause #Jacobs #blue #Sunday