Turin, Italy, Tommaso Marini and Martina Favaretto to dream.
Fencing, results
È it was a triumphant, historic day for Italian fencing in the foil Grand Prix in Turin: Martina Favaretto in the women’s competition and Tommaso Marini in the men’s competition made the notes of the Mameli anthem resound at the’Inalpi Arena, but there are four blue medals in total in the “home”GP; because’from the women also comes the double bronze signed by the’endless Arianna Errigo and Arianna Cristino.
An’Italian apotheosis: è the sixth career victory, and the tenth podium, for Martina Favaretto who brings back the Tricolor on the top of the Turin Grand Prix as it hasn’t happened since 2019, when Alice Volpi won. And with her on the podium Arianna Errigo who reaches another extraordinary milestone, the umpteenth, in her career as a champion, her 60° podium in the World Cup circuit, while for 23-year-old Anna Cristino it is the third bronze in the rainbow circuit, the second in the season.
Sixth victory in the rainbow circuit also for Tommy Marini, who renews history: it was since 2016 that Italy did not win the men’s event in the Piedmont GP, then Alessio Foconi excelled, and the tabù è was dispelled by the policeman from Ancona, who reached his 11th podium in the Cup. CT Stefano Cerioni’s group ignited the Inalpi Arena with a historic double success and many emotions.
Martina Favaretto’s exhilarating run began with a 15-6 infliction on Japan’s Kano and continued with a 15-11 win over Romania’s Candescu. In the round of 16, the policewoman from Veneto ruled 15-8 over the American Liu and mortgaged the podium by beating Chinese Chen 15-7. In a splendid all-Italian semifinal, to the applause of the Turin audience, Martina Favaretto made the derby against Anna Cristino her own, decided at the’last hit with the result of 15-14, detaching the pass for the final against Canadian Eleanor Harvey. In the’last act the’azzurra with a great comeback took the first place in Turin winning 15-12 thus conquering the second Grand Prix event of her career.
Arianna Errigo’s umpteenth show started with successes over two Japanese, Takezawa (defeated 15-5) and Miyawaki (beaten at the’last stroke 15-14). Drawn by the home crowd, Ary defeated in the round of 16 the third Japanese, Takeyama, with the result of 15-9, obtaining the certainty of the podium in the derby with her national teammate Francesca Palumbo, a match closed with the result of 15-6. Only in the semifinals did Errigo è stop in the presence of Canada’s Harvey (15-12), but hers è a bronze that sparkles. Just like the one conquered by Anna Cristino, coming from Friday’s qualifying round and protagonist of an extraordinary path: 15-3 to the Greek Chaldaiou in the debut, then the feat of success at the last stroke, 15-14, over the Olympic champion Lee Kiefer, and again a heart-beating 15-14, after an overwhelming comeback, against Korea’s Hong in the round of 16. Entry into the “medal zone” materialized thanks to a 15-10 win over Germany’s Kleibrink, before a stop in the derby against Martina Favaretto that certified her bronze.
The great day of the blue women foils did not è stop here. Among the “top 8”, after applause performances, also Francesca Palumbo and Irene Bertini, who finished in 7th and 8th position respectively. For Palumbo, Olympic team silver medalist in Paris, a return among the strongest on the international scene, while for the very young Bertini, still 20 years old, the best result in her career on the “big” circuit. Excellent race also for another up-and-coming, Carlotta Ferrari, 13th, and after the silver in Hong Kong 16th Martina Sinigalia. Next were 23rd Serena Rossini, 33rd the rainbow champion Alice Volpi, who was returning to competition in Turin after the Paris Games, 35th Martina Batini, 38th Elena Tangherlini, 46th Beatrice Monaco, 53rd Matilde Molinari, 55th Benedetta Pantanetti and 59th Camilla Mancini.
Marini in his golden comeback after the media success of "Ballando" debuted by overcoming the U.S. Olivares (15-9), and then won the Italian derby against Damiano Di Veroli (15-3). In the round of 16 Tommy defeated 15-8 the ’neutral athlete Borodachev, and offered another show of strength in the quarters by beating 15-9 Itkin in the match that gave him the “medal zone” certainty. But the reigning world and European champion did not è stop there: in the semifinals he è won with a score of 15-8 over Spain’s Carlos Llavador, thus obtaining a pass to the ’last act. In the final Tommaso Marini dominated from the first to the’last hit, winning with a clear 15-3 over the Czech Choupenitch and climbing for the first time in his career on the first step of the podium of the historic Turin stage.
In the men’s event, a splendid performance by Davide Filippi, who finished in seventh place. The Paduan of the ’Esercito è remained at the foot of the podium after stopping with the Egyptian Tolba in a quarterfinal to which he had arrived by beating, one after the other, the British Sosnov, fellow Italian Guillaume Bianchi and the Hungarian Szemes. Excellent race also for Lorenzo Nista, 12° classified.
They were followed by 17° double Olympic silver medalist Filippo Macchi, 18° Guillaume Bianchi, 20° Alessio Foconi (with the regret of some disputed refereeing decisions), 23° Alessio Di Tommaso, 26° Edoardo Luperi (frozen by the reconstruction of the 15-14 hit against the’Olympian Cheung), 28° Francesco Pio Iandolo, 30° Damiano Di Veroli, 35° Tommaso Martini, 37° Giulio Lombardi, 39° Giuseppe Franzoni, 40° Mattia De Cristofaro, 44° Damiano Rosatelli and 49° Francesco Ingargiola.
