The end of the Olympic Games in Paris, France, made the world of sport turn its attention to the Paralympics, which will take place between August 28th and September 8th.
Italy, which will have a delegation made up of 141 athletes, will participate in 17 sports in the sporting event aimed at people with disabilities.
Led by chef de mission Juri Stara and captained by flag bearers Ambra Sabatini and Luca Mazzone, the Italian team that will travel to Paris has an average age of 33,5 years and 37% of the group are debutants.
The objective of the Azzurri delegation in the French capital is to surpass the results achieved in Tokyo, when it achieved 69 medals and ninth place in the overall ranking, marks never before achieved by the nation.
It is still too early to know whether or not Italy will break its own medal record, but the Europeans have already made Paralympic history, even though the event has not yet started. After all the controversy with the Algerian Imane Khelif, the Italian Valentina Petrillo, 50 years old, will be the first trans athlete at the Paralympic Games.
The Neapolitan sprinter will compete in the 200 and 400 meters in the T12 category, for the visually impaired.
“The ball is now in our court. We are excited and eager to perform well. The largest delegation of all time will be involved in 17 sports. We take the baton convinced that we have a strong and competitive group, capable of giving joy and excitement to the fans”, said Luca Pancalli, president of the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP). (HANDLE)
