Great Sardinian sport festival in Cagliari. To celebrate it the president of Coni Giovanni Malagò, who awarded the champions of the island who participated in the Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo, but also the new world champion of artistic gymnastics Nicola Bartolini and Luna Rossa, who has his "home" in Cagliari.
Malagò told an anecdote of the amazing Italian feat in the Tokyo 4x100m relay , starring the sprinter from Brianza of Sardinian origins Filippo Tortu, Lorenzo Patta from Oristano, Fausto Eseosa Desalu and Marcell Jacobs.
"When I saw the Sardinian flag of the Quattro Mori on the track - revealed Malagò - for a moment I was afraid that we would be disqualified, because it was not foreseen by the protocol".
"We introduced that flag secretly - confessed Tortu in connection from home - with the help of the physiotherapist. I was not born and did not grow up in Sardinia, but I have always run with Sardinia in my heart and I will always do so in the future. After Tokyo I immediately wanted to go to Sardinia, to my family's house ".
"Before the race - said the other protagonist of the relay, the sprinter from Oristano Lorenzo Patta - I went to him. I thought I'd reassure him. But instead I realized that he was ten times calmer than me, I just told him: let's run and win. They were the best hundred meters of my life, I'll never forget them ".
Sardinia has always won at the Olympics, underlined Malagò: "From 1912 with Francesco Loi gold in gymnastics, then in 1920 in Antwerp with two more golds. Then Tokyo in destiny because in 1964 there were two more gold medals with Atzori in boxing and Angioni in equitation. Then this year, a triumph ".
Without forgetting Bartolini's exploit: "A historic medal - Malagò said - Nicola has arrived where even a champion like Menichelli had failed". Bartolini superstar, but not at the Olympics: "I didn't participate due to a technical quibble - recalled the gymnast from Quartu S.Elena - and I was about to give up. Then there were the World Championships always in Tokyo. And I took my revenge" .
