And there are 39! The Italian medal table is increasingly taking on the shape of the extraordinary one in Tokyo (the 2021 expedition stopped at 40). Elia Viviani and Simone Consonni win an extraordinary silver in the Madison, track cycling. Immense Viviani, supported by a great Consonni. The Azzurri were very good.
Giorgio Malan (pictured by Roberto Di Tondo Coni) gets a historic bronze in the modern Pentathlete: Italy wins a medal in the discipline 36 years after the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
The Blue Butterflies are a sight to behold! The Italian girls (Martina Centofanti, Agnese Duranti, Alessia Maurelli, Daniela Mogurean and Laura Parisa) won the bronze medal in the all-around competition of rhythmic gymnastics. The Butterflies finished behind China (gold) and Israel (silver).
Stefano Sottile fourth in high jump
Great final for Stefano Sottile who played a great race, placing fourth with an excellent 2.34.
“It’s a bit annoying to come in fourth with the same measurement as the third. As far as I’m concerned, with 2.34 I did a great race. I have to thank my physiotherapists after the many problems I had. I thank everyone, starting with my family.” Stefano Sottile told Rai after his fourth place in the high jump final at the Paris Olympics. “The atmosphere during the race was monstrous – the Italian added – they were unique sensations.”
The Gimbo Case
Gianmarco Tamberi is on the track, he tried. The outgoing Olympic champion resists after this morning’s renal colic, but his body is struggling: he missed three jumps at 2.27. Gimbo’s fairy tale ends here.
The hours before the race
Great expectations are placed on Gianmarco Tamberi even if the day has been hectic. The hopeful spirit has reignited two hours before the competition «I Will be there!». With a new post on Instagram Gianmarco Tamberi announced that he will participate in the Olympic high jump final in Paris 2024. The post of the Italian flag bearer is accompanied by a photo with a hood on his head. His previous posts had not given much hope, as well as the last afternoon “bulletin”. «10 hours have passed and the renal colic still hasn’t gone away. The pain I’ve felt since this morning, however strong, is nothing compared to what I’m feeling inside. Even what was my last certainty is about to vanish… I was just taken to the emergency room by ambulance after vomiting blood twice. Now they’ll do more tests to understand what’s happening, I’m updating you because the many messages I’m receiving and the love you’re showing me, at the very least deserve a response. I have dreamed of everything for this day except living a nightmare like this…”
Shortly before, Gimbo’s wife, Chiara Bontempi, had provided an update on the conditions of the Italian, who this morning had a new attack of renal colic. “So many of you are writing to me, this is the situation,” she wrote on a photo showing the Tokyo Olympian with an IV. “We are in the hospital.” Shortly before, she had written disconsolately: “I don’t know what to say.”
Basketball
The United States won the 2024 Paris men’s basketball tournament, defeating France 98-87 in the final.
Athletics
Italy finished seventh in the men’s 4×400 relay final at the Paris 2024 Games. Luca Sito, Vladimir Aceti, Edoardo Scotti and Alessandro Sibilio ran 2’59″72. Gold medal for the USA, silver for Botswana, bronze for Great Britain.
Ethiopian Tamirat Tola won the men’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, running in 2:06:26. Silver went to Belgian Bashir Abdi, 21 seconds behind, and bronze went to Kenyan Benson Kipruto, 34 seconds behind. The best Italian was Yeman Crippa, who placed 25th, 4:10 behind Tola.