Manuel Bortuzzo, bronze worth gold at Paralympics

Manuel Bortuzzo

A medal worth gold. Manuel Bortuzzo takes bronze in the 100 breaststroke SB4 at the Paris Paralympics. The Italian, who had qualified with the fourth time in the batteries, improves the Italian record to a time of 1'42"52. Gold to neutral athlete Dmitrii Cherniaev (1'32"20), silver to Greek Antonios Tsapatakis (1'36"16).

An extraordinary story, that of Manuel, who had chosen the federal center in Ostia and the lanes of Gregorio Paltrinieri and Gabriele Detti to pursue the Olympic dream of Tokyo; then the night between February 2 and 3, 2019. The operations, the long hospital stay, the physical and mental recovery followed by his family and the Italian Swimming Federation. The new life supported by the solidarity of the whole of Italy and the new journey that with courage, determination and conviction brought him to the Paralympics and to the podium of the Defense Arena in Paris, the same as champions Thomas Ceccon and Nicolò Martinenghi.

"I am feeling indescribable emotions – said the 25-year-old Italian from the Fiamme Oro trained by Francesco Bonanni – I was hoping for it, I had not won anything yet. I had finished fourth at the Europeans, fifth at the world championships. The time è pure record, I am feeling wonderful sensations. The last pool I was planted, I felt the opponent coming up, but I thought about the effort I put in to get to the Paralympics and I didn&#39t give up. For me this medal is worth a gold, it closes a long journey. If I made it to Paris, I owe it so much to my coach, who must be crying in the stands; there were so many times I wanted to give up, but he always knew how to motivate me. Thanks to the Fiamme Oro, the Italian national team, my family".