article by Nicola Pucci
Among the many champions that Italian fencing has illustrated to the eyes of the world during the 20th century, Saverio Ragno undoubtedly deserves a prominent placewho, if as an individual swordsman was capable of putting a silver medal around his neck at the Olympics, found in his descendants, in this case his daughter Antonella, someone who was able to do even better.
Apulian from Trani, born in 1902, Ragno made his debut at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, competing in both the individual and team épée events., strong in the past having won silver in 1930 in Liège and gold in Vienna in 1931 in the group competition at the International Championships, the main event of the time. In the two editions he is also a two-time gold medalist in team foil, the other weapon that he wields with excellent results, but at the five-circle event he was involved only in the épée, in which he obtained the team silver together with Agostoni, Riccardi, Minola and Cornaggia-Medici, beaten only by France 9-7 in the direct clash. In the individual competition, however, he has to settle for a bitter fourth place, off the podium preceded by his compatriot Carlo Agostoni who surpasses him by one point in the final roundwhich celebrates the success of Giancarlo Cornaggia-Medici who preceded the Frenchman Georges Buchard.
Four years later, in Berlin 1936, Ragno is in top formafter having won another two golds, two silvers and a bronze at the International Championships in Budapest in 1933, Warsaw in 1934 and Lausanne in 1935. In Germany takes revenge in the team event, climbing to the top step of the podium ahead of Sweden and historic rivals France, this time with the help of his teammates Mangiarotti, Cornaggia-Medici, Riccardi, Brusati and Pezzana, while in the individual race places in second place behind Franco Riccardi, who beats him 3-2 in the decisive matchmaking up an entirely green-white-red podium with Cornaggia-Medici, the reigning champion, finishing third.
The Second World War interrupted the career of Ragno, who in the meantime won gold in 1937 in Paris and bronze in 1938 in Piestany in the team event of the first two editions of the World Championships, for appearing again in 1948 at the London Games, now 46 years old, where he competed in the foil group competition, together with Mangiarotti, the two Nostinis (Renzo and Giuliano), Di Rosa and Pellini, managing to get on the podium once again, second beaten by France despite the tied result, 8-8, in the direct clash. The overall tally of hits, 62-60, decided the match in favor of the Transalpines.
Having archived the Olympic parenthesis, Ragno, who in his career also boasted five national titles in individual swordsmanship (1926, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1939) participates in another edition of the World Championships, in Monte Carlo in 1950, taking leave of his competitive activity with a final gold medal in the team foil competition, this time getting the better of France.
Good blood doesn’t lie, in the case of Saverio Ragno, whose daughter, Antonella, would in turn become Olympic individual foil champion in Monaco in 1972.
2024-01-30 14:05:00
#SAVERIO #RAGNO #ANTONELLAS #DAD #STOP #INDIVIDUAL #SILVER #BERLIN #SportHistoria
