A few months before Paris 2024, Italy must give up one of its most anticipated champions and with the greatest chance of victory. Daniele Garozzo, two Olympic medals and a series of world titles in foil, surprisingly announces his retirement
. “My heart got ‘injured’. The time has come to” say goodbye “to competitive activity”, he explains on Instagram, showing in photos the gold won in Rio 2016 and the silver in Tokyo 2020. Garozzo in his career he has won a lot both individually and with the national team: in team foil, in particular, he won four world gold medals in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
“It is a decision that arose from circumstances beyond my control, my heart was “injured”, but which I accept with serenity – he underlines – In all these years, I have been lucky enough to experience an extraordinary adventure in the world of sport. It was a journey made of sacrifices, commitment and passion, joys, satisfactions and friendships that I would never have imagined. I remember as if it were yesterday when I started practicing this wonderful sport. I still see myself in the garage gym in Acireale millions of hits against a dummy, dreaming of one day winning the Olympics.” The Sicilian champion thanks his partner Alice Volpi, also an Italian foil player, and his teacher Fabio Galli who “taught me first to become a man, then a champion. Even if everyone on the platform saw only me, there were always two of us shooting and take those hits.” “I am aware that I am the luckiest guy I know. I have achieved my sporting dreams, I have traveled all over the world with extraordinary friends and I have found my best friend and life partner on the fencing platforms.” Garozzo, “in closing this chapter of my life as an athlete”, reveals that “I had already decided for some time to dedicate my professional life to medicine, today with an even clearer objective: to study and disseminate the cardiological conditions that can afflict the population sporty”. His long post aroused empathy from his teammates and the national team but – demonstrating that he has made himself known and well-liked throughout the Italian sporting environment – comments and greetings came from Italian and foreign Olympic champions, by athletes of other disciplines. The Italian flag bearer Gianmarco Tamberi, the French foilist Enzo Lefort, the Olympic judoka Fabio Basile, the gymnast Vanessa Ferrari, the swordsman Rossella Fiamingo, the Olympic karate champion Luigi Busà, the Paralympic gold medalist Ambra Sabatini, the pentathlete Elena Micheli are some of the champions who paid him a greeting and encouragement for the future. “An infinite disappointment but also an immense pride in knowing that a Champion with a capital initial like Dani represents an example of which our sport must be proud”, the president of Federscherma, Paolo Azzi, commented to ANSA. “He was, remains and will always be an icon of Italian fencing – he continued – Garozzo is a source of pride for our sport. A champion on and off the stage. Doctor and Olympian, even in this very sad moment, due to his retirement, he launched another positive and precious message regarding the importance of cardiac prevention. I am proud of him and of having lived unforgettable moments at his side.”
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2024-04-30 17:27:18
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