Eight hundred athletes land in Cagliari for the Italian Under 23 fencing Championships that begin on Thursday, but the capital wants more. In the presentation this morning in the town hall, the federal president Paolo Azzi unveiled that the city will be a candidate for the 2023 world championships reserved for the Cadet and Youth categories (under 20 and under 17), of which four years ago the island hosted the "Tricolors". “I will propose it in Lausanne this weekend”, said the top manager of FIS, “knowing that the project is valid but that the competition is fierce. Then we will see what the air is like ”.
Meanwhile, the two Coni gyms in Monte Mixi and PalaPirastu (for semifinals and finals, the only ones with the public) are preparing to host the race for individual and mixed team titles of sword, foil and saber. It is all part of a memorandum of understanding between the FIS and the Municipality of Cagliari, signed at the time by the mayor Paolo Truzzu and by Azzi and, as recalled by Gianmarco Tavolacci, Sardinian FIS delegate, leads Sardinia to continue an organizational path that has begun with the Italian youth championships in 2017 and continued with the Mediterranean Championship in 2019.
“Among the Italian regions we are one of the five that have best endured the pandemic, despite the additional difficulties we have compared to other realities. The presence of 40 athletes at these championships is the sign of a movement that can count on a solid platform ". And it is, added the president of Coni Sardegna, Bruno Perra, "an opportunity for discussion that our young people must seize".
As on other occasions, Maurizio Fuccaro recalled for the organizing committee (represented primarily by the Athos Academy of Arms), "there will be side activities for accompanying persons, to promote our city and our products, thanks to the Village set up next to the gyms. Sport and tourism is the combination that works best ”, he said, in full harmony with the words of the councilors Andrea Floris (Sport) and Alessandro Sorgia (Tourism and productive activities).
The individual sword competitions will start on Thursday, while the conclusion with foil and saber for mixed teams is on Sunday.