Italy's Olympic high jump champion
Gianmarco Tamberi said Saturday it was "all over" for his
defence of the title he memorably won with Qatari athlete Mutaz
Essa Barshim in Tokyo three years ago as he was "desperate" with
a new renal colic from kidney stones, but would compete
nonetheless Saturday night starting seven pm.
"It's all over. Last night another kidney colic. I don't know
how I'm going to do it, but I'm going on the piste," said the
32-year-old charismatic athlete from Marche.
"Desperate", the athlete confessed: "I really don't know how I
will be able to jump in these conditions".
Yesterday for Italy came the eleventh gold of the Paris Olympics
with the women's Madison track cycling event.
There was silver and a new Italian record for Nadia Battocletti
after a stunning performance in the women's 10,000 metres behind
Kenyan Beatrice Chebet.
The Italian became the first European woman to medal in the
event.
Battocletti, who had previously came fourth in the 5,000 in
Paris, said;
"It also makes one smile a bit, my focus was on the 5,000, in
recent weeks I have had to reduce the load due to physical
problems, so the 10,000 was not even on my mind. It's only my
fourth race at this distance. But I wanted to have some more fun
and I got there with a smile and lightness".
Then she went to embrace former Olympic and world champion
Gabriella Dorio, gold in the 1500 at the 1984 Los Angeles Games,
at the foot of the stands.
Four bronze medals were also won Friday: third place for Sofia
Raffaeli in the individual rhythmic gymnastics, for Nino
Pizzolato in weightlifting, for Simone Alessio in 80 kg
taekwondo and for Andy Diaz in triple jump.
Italy now stands 10th in the Paris medal table with eleven
golds, 12 silvers and 13 bronzes.
Carlo Mornati, secretary general of the Italian National Olympic
Committee (CONI) and Italy's head of mission in Paris 2024, told
a press conference at Casa Italia Saturday that "fourth and
fifth places cannot be considered failures".
"The medals reflect the forecasts," he added, "and what is
significant is the Olympic competitiveness index, so much so
that Italy's has remained unchanged, we are fourth behind the
United States, China and Germany.
Mornati went on to explain how this index "is difficult to
cancel", pointing out how the fourth and fifth places give the
idea "of the strength of the (Italian Olympic) movement".
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