Shooting, European gold for Massimo Fabbrizi
Italy is d’gold at the European Sharpshooting Championships in Chateauroux, France, at the facility where trials for the Paris Olympics were held a year ago. Winning the Trap, or Olympic Pit, competition was Marche Carabiniere Massimo Fabbrizi, a silver medalist at the 2012 London Games, who won in the final with a score of 48/50, then one skeet ahead of Britain’s Matthew Coward Holley, who finished at 47. The Italian triumph was completed by the bronze medal of policeman Mauro De Filippis, with 37/40.
“I feel an indescribable joy, which started even before Matthew (Coward Holley, ed.) finished shooting – Fabbrizi’s words -. I couldn’t contain it, but it could only be that way, given how much I worked on it and how much I believed in it. I made so many sacrifices, put so much passion and dedication into it. I am not a kid anymore (47 years old ed.) and everything is more difficult. But I was able to count on the trust and support of Marco (the blue dt Conti, ed), and that of my teammates. I thank Fitav, the Carabinieri’s Arma dei Carabinieri and my sponsors, next to me at all times, but the biggest thank you goes to Massimo, ovevro myself because I deserve it”.
The Italian success acquires even more value when one considers that among the finalists there were also two Olympic champions, both of whom remained off the podium, such as Croatians Anton Glasnovic (31/35), now fourth and gold in Rio 2016, and Mario Cernogoraz, here fifth and gold in London 2012 just ahead of Fabbrizi. Out of the final, by just one plate as at the Paris Olympics, 55-year-old Italian veteran Giovanni Pellielo, who placed ninth.
In the women’s competition absent London Olympian Jessica Rossi, who recently became a mother, Italy did not have any notable results: the best of the azzurre was Silvana Maria Stanco, Olympic silver medalist a year ago, who finished in seventh place. Gold went to Germany’s Kathrin Murhce, silver to Slovak Zuzana Stefecekova and bronze to Spain’s Fatima Galvez. In fourth place was San Marino representative Alessandra Perilli.
