“I dedicate this result to my parents, who always support me, to the whole family, to the technicians and to the entire team.” Fourteen-year-old Emma Paoloni, a blind athlete from the Archers of the Middle Chienti of Belforte. He started practicing the archery only since June, after her eighth grade exams, and last weekend she became Italian vice champion, in her first championship Para-Archery indoor nella categoria Visually Impaired a Lamezia Terme (Catanzaro), bringing home the silver medal.
Due to a genetic disease, Leber’s congenital amaurosis, Emma has been blind since birth. Enrolled in the first year of linguistic high school in Macerata and passionate about sports since she was little, she has been swimming for eight years, for four years she has been enrolled in the Urbisaglia Judo Club and also attends the Monti Sibillini ski school with the instructor Matteo Petetta. He also plays the piano. “I tried archery at a campus of the Italian Paralympic Committee, in June 2024, and I immediately liked it a lot – says the athlete –. Participating in the Italian championships was a wonderful experience, but I didn’t imagine I would get to this result. I am truly happy and excited. I thank the technicians, Giacomo and Marco Feliziani (respectively companion guide and president of the ASD, ed.), and the whole Medio Chienti team who stood by me and he believed in me.”
In Saturday’s qualifying, Paoloni obtained the class silver medal with an excellent second place. Then she won the direct clash in the semi-final against the outgoing 2025 Italian champion and advanced to the final for the overall title. In the final, after a good performance against an excellent Daniele Piran, an athlete of the national team and with a large list of successes, he brought home another beautiful overall silver medal.
“Her determination led her to a very rapid growth path, thanks to the support of the technicians, her parents Moira and Luca, and her guide Giacomo – explains the Belfortese club –. A great result also for the Marche paralympic movement, which sees a very young girl obtain recognition at a national level by competing with highly experienced senior athletes”. Many messages of congratulations from friends, fellow citizens and professors. “I aim to do other races and improve – concludes Emma –. The next goal is the national outdoor championship in September”. And she’s already ready to train.
Lucia Gentili
