It’s 1992 in Barcelona. A Barcelona that is preparing to experience theOlympics. His Olympics. Two big names in music are chosen as guess stars for the inauguration: Freddie Mercury, leader of Queen, and Monserrat Caballet, soprano of the house. In addition to the unforgettable Barcelonathe two try their hand at a delicate piece How can I go onwhich seems to be the manifesto of every athlete who believes in it, who wants to make it despite great obstacles, great difficulties, great adversaries: “How can I go on, day by day? Who can make me strong in every way? Where can I be safe? Where can I have my place in this big world of sadness?
In the case of Yuri Chechithe answer to these questions will come 12 years later. Ironically, the Italian lord of the rings would have participated in that Spanish Olympics if it were not for a very serious tendon injury.
Between Barcelona 1992 and Athens 2004, however, there were two other Olympic Games: Atalanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. In America Chechi is overflowing: he wins gold hands down and matches it with numerous triumphs at European and world level. On the eve of the Australian Olympics, Chechi is at the height of his powers. There are no athletes on earth who can beat him.. He trains often, as he usually does. Even on the day the Italian team is visiting Pope John Paul II, on the way back, Juri stops at the gym. Something goes wrong during training. He feels a sharp pain and decides to stop, but since he is upside down he still has to perform a maneuver to avoid breaking his neck: during the emergency half somersault he feels the tendon coming off the bone. The Australian Olympics are over. A real tragedy. No doctor gives him hope of being able to compete at certain levels again. His resignation shines through in the interviews he gives.
Until one day, while Dad was in a coma in a hospital bed, something unexpected happens. While trying to stimulate Dad, he says this sentence: “Come on, Dad. If you wake up I can even think about going to the 2004 Athens Olympics, in two years.”. At that moment, dad Leonardo squeezes his hand. He sees it as a premonitory sign and then he gets under. Against everything and everyone. He climbs back up and shows up at the start of the Greek Olympics. It is August 22, 2004. Just being there is a miracle. Nobody thinks of a medal possibility for Chechi, who is no longer the indomitable cyborg of the years before his second injury.. He holds on to the rings and gives it his all. It’s over. Yuri knows it’s over now, but at least it ended the way he wanted it to. He didn’t realize that his performance was so beautiful that it deserved the bronze medal. He’s the third place winner in Athens. “He landed like a leaf that surrenders to autumn, claiming for himself the grace of flight. It is Yuri Chechi”. In the words of the Rai commentator Andrea Fusco there is the essence of Chechi’s enterprise. And perhaps also the answer to these two exceptional singers who, 12 years earlier, in Barcelona, were wondering “How can I go?”.
