Elisa Di Francisca goes down flat on Valentina Vezzali and Giovanna Trillini

Olympic foil champion retires at 39: the two former rivals-colleagues will not be at her farewell party

Olympic foil champion Elisa Di Francisca is retiring at the age of 39: in an interview with La Repubblica, the athlete from Jesolo reviewed her career, sparing no jabs at former rivals-colleagues Valentina Vezzali and Giovanna Trillini, who will not be present at her farewell party.

“Giovanna Trillini was offended by what I wrote in the book and is no longer speaking to me. Actually verbally I told her even worse: she is a good teacher, but an eternal second, she puts herself in the corner by herself and then complains that she is not considered.”

Stinging words also for Vezzali, with whom she has a long dispute: “I did not invite her, better not waste time, think about working for Italian sports and make sure that education and physical activity are not enemies.”

Foil coach Stefano Cerioni is also not spared: “She asked me not to write anything in my book. How can I keep quiet? I answered. I’m talking about my father and I’m not talking about you who were with me and went to train in Russia my enemy Deriglazova who beat me in the finals in Rio?”

On what she will miss about fencing: “The mental process behind the mask, the fact that you have to find a solution, that you have to confront who you have in front of you.”