The Panathlon Club Rieti hosted a celebratory evening on Friday, October 30, to honor world long jump champion Mattia Furlani. The event was held at the Ristorante la Foresta.
A Musical Celebration at La Foresta
The program began with a performance by the “Giuseppe Verdi” musical band of Lisciano, which played the Italian national anthem. Attendees were shown a video tribute produced by Luca Furlani, set to the Queen classic “We are the champions.” Mattia Furlani was joined at the event by his father, Marcello, a former high jumper, and his mother, Khaty, who serves as his personal trainer.
Club Leaders Award Academic and Athletic Scholarships to Two Athletes
During the dinner, club president Maurizio Simonetti and Furlani presented scholarships for academic and athletic merit to two young athletes from the Atletica Studentesca program. Caterina Sabato and Liam Ryan Lync were the recipients of these awards, which cover the 2025–2026 school year.
Awards for Fair Play
The Panathlon Club also highlighted sportsmanship by honoring two athletes for their recent conduct during competition. Anna Chiara Castagni was recognized for her actions in badminton, where she informed a referee that a point had been incorrectly awarded to her rather than her opponents. Nicolò Barigelli received a similar honor for stopping play during a football match to assist an opposing player who had been hit by his foul.
Both Castagni and Barigelli had previously been recognized for these gestures during the 2026 Panathliadi. During the ceremony, the club presented Furlani with a personalized gift and a photograph of champion Pietro Mennea, which was captured in Rieti by club member Carlo Ciccaglioni.
Worth a look
