With the closing ceremony at Pajulahti Hall, the curtain fell on the sixth edition of EPYG 2022, the European Paralympic Youth Games, which took place from 30 June to 3 July in Pajulahti (athletics, table tennis, showdown, boccia, judo, goalball) and Helsinki (swimming).
If in the opening ceremony the honor of carrying the Italian flag fell to sprinter Francesco Imperio, in the closing one the standard bearers were Giorgia Fascetta, blue winner of two gold medals in athletics (100 and 400 meters) , and Gabriel Da Silva Pelizari, the youngest player of a national team, that of wheelchair basketball, who for the first time in the history of EPYG won the gold medal.
For Italy, which presented itself with a delegation made up of 61 athletes, 42 total medals arrived (13 golds, 14 silvers, 15 bronzes) and the third place in the general classification behind Spain with 53 (23 golds, 20 silvers, 10 bronzes) and France with 47 (17 golds, 16 silvers, 14 bronzes).
Athletics and table tennis were the disciplines to have obtained the most medals, 12 each. In detail, table tennis brings home 3 golds, 3 silvers, 6 bronzes, athletics 4 golds, 5 silvers, 3 bronzes. Swimming was also very good, winning 3 golds, 3 silvers, 3 bronzes.
All to medal the blues of judo, who won 2 gold and 1 silver. In the bowl there are 3 medals won, 2 silver and 1 bronze. Finally, two podiums from the Azzurri in the showdown, twice in third place.
“Italy closes the EPYG2022 with an exceptional result that projects us among the top three European countries in Paralympic youth sport. A balance sheet that fills us with satisfaction and makes us look to the future with optimism. A new generation of champions is growing in the best way and will be able to contribute to the Paralympic challenges to come. Congratulations, therefore, to the athletes for the many medals won and for having shone in all disciplines. You have made us proud and you have raised the name of Italy. I want to express my thanks to the coaches and Federations for the valuable work they have done as well as to all the members of a blue delegation that has written another beautiful page in the history of Paralympic sport “. This is what Luca Pancalli, President of the Italian Paralympic Committee declared.
