04.03.2010 DIFFERENTLY (MORE) ATHLETES
Starting from yesterday the phrase that can be seen at the bottom of the home page is a tribute to Francesca Porcellato, Italian Paralympic Sport legend, that is about to leave to Vancouver: “ When I was given the first wheel-chair, the only thing I was thinking about was to run in it as fast as possible”. I came across it in one of the Francesca’s interviews and I was really impressed. I liked it because in my opinion, this phrase just in few words expresses not only the values of paralympic sport , but the values of sport in general. With all the respect to Paralympic Games I rather think of the coming event in Vancouver as of normal Olympic Games that continue. I had an opportunity to meet some athletes, that are defined as “differently able” and I prefer to describe them as “differently athletes”, in the sense that they have something more than the other athletes. Because to arrive where they arrive, and to overcome the difficulties that they overcome you have to be more than just an athlete you have to be super athlete. Being a sportsman myself, I know what I’m talking about, mine is a technical judgment, not emotive or just to have a pity on someone.
I took part in the press conference on the occasion of Paralympic Games in Vancouver, organized by Sky, where apart from Farancesca Porcellato were presented other big names of National Italian Sport. I would like to quote some parts.
“Watching the competitions of these athletes that is the essence of sport, at least from my point of view and how I interpret the way of being a sportsman. For me the essence of sport is the passion, the only engine that pushes everything forward, moves everything and is the base of the will to win and above all to overcome your own limits. It has always been like this in my career and I hope that all the guys who are about to leave for the competition to Vancouver can understand well what I mean. Passion, fighting spirit and joy to be there, I’m sure they will have in common these three things. One of them that I want to stress out is the joy to be there: the first ones or the last ones, but in any case above their own limits”.
“In all my career I always entertained the idea, and I can proudly say to have made the dream of wearing the National team shirt come true and to win, wearing this shirt. I lived through sad moments, but also through incredible, huge joy as the victory in Berlin. Unfortunately, I have never taken part in the Olympic Games, but I won World Championship that for us football players is the main competition. When I think back, about my goal in the match against Germany, about the penalty kick scored at the end, about our victory, I inevitably think about the strongest, biggest and the most overwhelming joy I have ever felt on the football pitch. And that’s exactly the sensation that I wish to our athletes at the Paralympic Games.”
If I’m still after the National team shirt? Oh yes, yes. I’ve got incredible examples to follow! And as I’m three years younger than Francesca Porcellato ( I can say it , we are athletes… I know that you can’t ask a woman her age…) I can say that if she comes back from Vancouver with a medal, I’ll be forced to set as a target the World Championship...in 2014! I still have a lot of work to do…
Apart from jokes, go Italy, go! Good luck, guys!
Alessandro
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