Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii, historic bronze medalist
Skating, results
The 2023 World Figure Skating Championships have awarded their first title.
On the Italian night between Wednesday and Thursday, the Super Arena in Saitama de facto sent out the free program of the artistic pairs.
From an Italian perspective, there was great expectation for Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii (Icelab), who had finished the short program in third place, thus advancing a concrete medal bid.
The Italian pair continued their journey in the best of podiums, surpassing themselves in the free program and crowning an authentic feat.
Barbara Luoni’s students skated in an almost perfect manner, touching up every personal best and breaking, for the first time in their careers, the fateful 200-point barrier, the fulfillment of an exponential growth that took place throughout the entire season.
Italy therefore returns to the podium of the World Championships after nine years. One has to go back to the 2014 edition, curiously also held in Saitama, to find Azzurri medals.
At that time, the dance couple Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte boasted gold. In addition, Carolina Kostner placed bronze around her neck in the women’s field.
Most significant, however, is the fact that Conti/Macii became the first artistic pair to hoist themselves onto the rainbow podium. The previous 12 medals had come from women’s (7), men’s (1) and dance (4).
Italy becomes the ninth nation still in existence to win at least one rainbow medal in each of the four Olympic specialties, joining the small circle of Russia, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Great Britain, Finland and Hungary.
