Grandma’s lasagna, pizza and a big party at Palaexpo. Moncalieri, 58,000 inhabitants, is preparing to celebrate the swimmer Alessandro Miressi and the discobola Daisy Osakue, his champions who hit 4 finals at the Tokyo Olympics and took home two medals. Even if yesterday afternoon, from the last act of the discus throw, the feat that all the Moncalieresi would have hoped for did not arrive.
A feat, in fact, given that to get on the podium it would not even have been enough to repeat the Italian primacy just equaled. Daisy, however, believed in it and, after her twelfth place (with the measurement of 59.97 and two nulls), she shed tears of anger: We athletes are never satisfied – she declared at the end of the race -. I should be happy, because, after the physical problems I had in the spring, I shouldn’t even have been here. Instead I’m a little sad. I’m like that, either it goes or breaks it and this time it has done it.
I will be back in Moncalieri in the next 24 hours and waiting for her will be Father Iredia, who yesterday saw the final on his mobile phone, in his office in Turin: Luckily Angel, my other daughter, managed to download the application, I’m not very technological – he smiles -. I heard Daisy and tried to console her. It is obvious that I too was hoping for something more, but this is sport. There remains a bit of regret, but what my daughter did remains something great, important. He has always worked hard with the aim of reaching the top and in three years we will try again. But before that, there are still many important appointments. I told Daisy not to look back, but to keep her eyes fixed on the future and the next goals. We can’t wait to hug her again.
The celebrations have already begun for Alessandro Miressi, who landed in Caselle last night wearing the silver and bronze medals won in the 4 x100 style and 4×100 mixed relay races. Medals that have partially mitigated the regrets for the failure in the individual final of the 100 freestyle: But Alessandro doesn’t have to think about this – his mother Piera Panico pampers him -. We are very happy, it has achieved excellent results. He returns to his first Olympics with two medals, three finals and among the top six in the world in the queen competition. I would say that there is really no reason to get angry and that is why, after the individual final, I told him to stay calm and relax. They cared a lot about the mixed relay and after the bronze medal, finally, I felt more relaxed.
Alessandro did not inherit the passion for swimming from his parents: I did softball, my husband baseball, completely different sports – continues Ms. Piera – I took him to the pool as a child, without thinking about competition. Instead he practically grew up in the tub. Tomorrow we will celebrate with the uncles and other relatives. The men? Certainly grandma’s lasagna, but Alessandro will also want pizza, I’m sure
The mayor of Moncalieri Paolo Montagna is already preparing a party for September 12, at the Foro Boario, but the date is still uncertain: We had believed and bet on it many years ago. Alessandro and Daisy have already been awarded by the City, as well as our Carlotta Gilli, who is preparing to compete in the Paralympics. We want to share the joy of these results which have helped to write a great page of excellence and to bring Moncalieri to the Olympus of sport. And I’m sure these champions of ours will be an example for many other guys.
2 August 2021 | 18:07
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