Undergo a cycle of chemotherapy or leave for Austria to compete in the archery world championships, the sport which, having passed the age of 70, has continued to give him incredible satisfaction, to the point of having almost become a ‘chance’ at an international level? An unthinkable alternative for anyone, but not for Luciano Contorni, from Sant’Albino, who, having received the green light from the doctors, avoided therapy (which would have debilitated him), went to Moosburg and won the world championship, triumphing in the specialty ‘instinctive compound bow’. It was the summer of 2024 but the fact represents yet another turning point in his existence for Contorni, originally from Abbadia San Salvatore and resident in Montepulciano for 53 years. Because upon his return from Austria the local ‘Robin Hood’ underwent tests, the results were favorable and since then he no longer has to undergo chemo. “Let’s not talk about a miracle – Contorni states realistically –, I was treating a ‘small tumor’, the indications were already positive, otherwise the doctors would not have allowed me to avoid the treatment”. However, the matter did not go unnoticed and the motto ‘Shoot the winning arrow against cancer’ was coined. The oncology department of the Nottola hospital and the Municipality of Montepulciano reproduce it on a celebratory t-shirt and the Municipality of Ascoli Piceno makes it their own, for a sport and solidarity initiative. “I’m fine because every day I go archery, I can’t do without it – reveals Contorni, close to 77 years old –, I’m always active, I make my own arrows, in the winter we carry out indoor activities but the rest of the year we are on the move in the woods, immersed in nature, for training and competitions”. Luciano started shooting late, at 40, but he has always had precision and a steady hand: “These are qualities that I developed by working – he states – first as a welder, then as a crane operator: it takes ‘head’ and attention”. Member of the Archers of Parce, the association of Sant’Albino, and ‘glory’ of the local Auser club, Contorni also involved his son Luca, now 49 years old, in the activity since he was a teenager: together they filled the noticeboard with prizes, often occupying two of the three positions on the podium. Luciano is now aiming for a place in the national team for the 2026 World Cup in Hungary; selections will begin soon, the ‘target’ has already been identified.
Diego Mancuso
