SESTO FIORENTINO – “From father to son”: in addition to being one of Cat Stevens’ most famous songs, it is also a recurring expression in the world of football support. But in this case it is more correct to say “from son to mother”. Or, better yet, a passion that affects the whole family. The family is from Sesto Sara Siliani, archer of the Compagnia Arcieri Lupi of Sesto Fiorentino, who recently graduated as absolute regional champion in the 18 meter Indoor specialty in Bientina, in the province of Pisa, a competition organized by the local Fitarco company. An event in which she competed against all the best athletes in our region, of all ages, defeating all the competition in a very tight competition until… the last arrow.
What is the curious aspect of all this, besides of course the satisfaction of having climbed to the top step of the podium? Sara is the mother of Leonardo Viliani, who at the age of 12, in June 2017, won the world title at the IFAA Archery World Championships which took place in Castellina in Chianti. And also her husband, Leonardo’s father, Marco Viliani, is an expert archer. In short, archery is not only a family passion but also a sporting discipline that he has given and is giving a lot of satisfaction. We say this not by chance, on the eve of an important appointment for Sara, who tomorrow, Thursday 9 March, will be competing in Rimini in the Italian Indoor Fitarco Championships, the highest federal category. An event (in the first photo on the left a detail of the last tricolors) which will see 1,300 archers, representing 282 different clubs, arrive at the competition scheduled until Sunday at the West Pavilion of the Rimini Fair, theater for years now of an event between the most heartfelt on the national calendar. In those, among other things, which are the “golden wedding” of the tricolors indoors and which are entitled “Memorial Giggi Cartoni” “in memory – we read in a note – of the Fitarco colleague who passed away a few weeks ago and who has done so much for the archery world.”
We met Marco and Sara in recent days, during a break from their work in the optical shop, on the eve of leaving for Rimini. And the emotion, waiting for the race, was “breathable”. Also because it is a goal achieved thanks to the victory at the regional championship. A discovery, that of trying it personally, born almost by chance, accompanying my son to training from the age of 7. A passion that then grew especially after the Covid period: Leonardo, who still holds the highest ever in terms of points won at world level following his victory in Castellina in Chianti, slowed down a bit. Father and mother, on the other hand, who in the meantime have also set up a shooting area in the garden of their home, have started to have more and more fun with bow and arrows. And Sara, who trains every morning, in absolute safety, before going to work, discovered over time that hers was also an innate gift. Although all of this was certainly influenced by the main characteristics of those who practice this sporting discipline: calm, a calm character, the ability to maintain a fluid gesture even in moments of stress.
Thus, more or less a year and a half ago the first races began, culminating in third place in 2022 at the Italian Championships, the regional title a few weeks ago and the conquest of fourth position in the national ranking. “We accompanied our son to training – they say – and then we realized that there could be two athletes in the family”. Now the Rimini event, with the awareness of giving the best of oneself and, why not, aiming for something important.
The Italian Indoor Championships in Rimini will be broadcast live on YouArco, Fitarco’s official YouTube channel, and on all federal social networks. The bare bow finals on Thursday (where Sara competes) and the compound ones on Friday will also be visible on Olimpia Azzurra’s official YouTube channel, Sport2U. A summary of the finals will finally be broadcast in the days following the end of the tricolors on Rai Sport.
2023-03-08 08:00:00
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