Beyond Viana do Castelo, in Portugal, there is only the ocean, blue and endless, which opens the heart and blows air towards the shore that smells of quality of life. The one that is never too early or too late to chase. In Viana do Castelo at this time there is a delegation made up of 26 people from Cesena over 60 who are there precisely because they have pursued quality of life, engaging in the multi-year ‘In Common Sport’ project financed by the European Union with the aim of promoting correct and healthy lives for the population with graying hair, making them rediscover the beauty and importance of staying physically active.
For three years the group has met a couple of times a week in the city’s green areas to practice physical activity under the aegis of qualified instructors and now the time has come to reap the benefits.
The group left Italy by plane on Sunday morning and yesterday, after participating in the inaugural ceremony of ‘Olympics4All’, began to test themselves on the pitch. 379 athletes converged on the Portuguese city, coming almost exclusively from Portugal, but also from a Spanish city and an Italian one, Cesena. “There is a beautiful atmosphere – commented the councilor for sustainable mobility Francesca Lucchi, who joined the group for a handful of days together with the councilor for sport Chrisitian Castorri – made of enthusiasm, of joy in being here and determination to do one’s best during competitions.” Over the course of three days (it will end with tomorrow’s awards ceremony) we will compete in 22 different disciplines, adapted to the context: from three-a-side football with ‘goals’, to basketball, volleyball and running, but also tug of war and other disciplines typical of the Portuguese tradition. “We met with the local municipal administration – added Lucchi – finding many points of convergence from the approach to the topic of sport, to the strategies to be adopted for its valorisation. Progress such as those of ‘Cesena Sport City’ prove to be very current and virtuous, so much so as to leave ample space for possible future important collaborations”.
Margherita Magnani, seven-time absolute Italian champion in the middle distance and Olympian at Rio 2016 in the 1500m distance, also intervened with a video message to lend support to the people from Cesena, who marched with the black and white banner and the tricolour. Greetings – I wanted to wish you all good luck with this experience in Portugal. I’m sure you will have a lot of fun and that you will return home rich with a new experience. Good luck! See you in Cesena”. Maybe with some medals around his neck. But here, in Portugal, with the ocean before our eyes, warmed by the sun of a summer that doesn’t want to end and by the warmth of a group of sixty-year-olds who have become friends by sweating together, the most coveted prize is another. And it has already been won.
2023-10-03 03:29:03
#Portugal #Sports #Daily
