Find out everything there is to know about participation of Italy at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have started. Italy competes for the first time with 384 athletes, as never before in the history of the Olympics, and with Elia Viviani, Jessica Rossi and Paola Egonu as the standard-bearer. After the beautiful and moving inaugural ceremony, with the fight against the pandemic as a common thread, it's time for competitions.
To cheer for our athletes will be very difficult over the next two weeks. In Japan, being 7 hours ahead of Italy, almost all sporting events will be held when it is night in Italy, or at the latest in the morning or early afternoon. But let's discover together the secrets of the azzurra expedition.
The Italian medal table: who can give a medal to Italy
In the last two editions of the Olympics, Italy brought 28 medals to Rome with a selection of just over 290 athletes. This year, the goal is to increase the number of medals won, in particular, the gold ones (7 in the last edition) and with 384 athletes the goal seems to be widely achievable.
But let's find out together which Italian athlete could take home a medal.First of all, the athletes involved in the discipline of swimming, which has always been a flagship for our nation, in particular: Federica Pellegrini, that, at her last Olympics, wants to leave an indelible mark on an already glorious career; Simona Quadarella, 22, is in her first Olympics after years of medals at the European and World Championships; Gregorio Paltrinieri and Gabriele Detti are those from whom one expects more after, respectively, the gold of Rio and the bronze of London; finally, the very young Benedetta Pilato, 16 years old, is already so talented in the service of the Italian flag.
The fencing team, another discipline very dear to Italians, can give great satisfaction. There will be 12 athletes competing in Tokyo. The main suspects are Daniele Garozzo and Alessio Foconi in the men's foil, Arianna Errigo and Alice Volpi in the women's foil and especially Rossella Fiamingo in the women's sword.
Marcell Jacobs, after overtaking the most popular Filippo Tortu, could be the surprise in Tokyo in the 100 meters, aiming for a medal.
Both men's and women's volleyball teams are among the best of the entire event, always offering performances of a certain level but counting zero Olympic gold medals (the men's one has won 6 between bronze and silver), we hope this is the good time.
Jessica Rossi is our standard-bearer. Gold medal in London in 2012 in volleyball. After two world championships, he will try to replicate the London medal.
Finally, the judoka, Fabio Basile returns to an Olympics after the medal five years ago.
The first Italian Tokyo 2020 medals
Italy started on the right foot. The first two medals have already arrived, one gold, the day after the inaugural ceremony. Luigi Samele won the silver medal in the sabre while Vito Dell'Aquila is awarded the gold medal in taekwondo.
An incredible satisfaction for the Italians and we hope to win many more.
