The silver medal won at the Paris Olympics celebrated yesterday together with his city almost seems like a paradox. Stefano Oppo, born in 1994, was not born in water but on a football field, in the Torangius district. His career with football, however, stopped almost immediately when, at the age of nine, he decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother Matteo who was already rowing and who gave up shortly after.

From that day Stefano began rowing and his talent did not go unnoticed: his first coach from the Oristano sailing club Antonio Marras believed in him. It's a lot. He immediately recognizes the makings of a champion, so he insists, believes in it and doesn't give up. At 16, Oppo decided to leave Sardinia and moved to the National Rowing Center in Piediluco.

From that moment the important triumphs began to arrive. On his international debut at the 2011 European Junior Championships he won the gold medal in the 8 lightweight category. In 2012 two gold medals arrived and the following year he became world Under-23 champion. He subsequently won the gold medal at the Chungju World Championships. In 2016 he represented Italy at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, finishing the final in fourth place.

At the Mediterranean Games in Tarragona 2018 he won gold. At the 2021 Olympics, in Tokyo, he leaves an important signature by winning the bronze medal with Pietro Ruta. And then it's a story that everyone knows and is now being celebrated.

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