Manuel Bortuzzo wins bronze in the 100 breaststroke at the Paralympics: «The last lap I thought about all the effort I made to get here, it's beautiful. For me it's like a gold».
"It's an indescribable feeling, I was hoping for it. I've never won anything, I didn't expect it. I don't know what to say: it's beautiful - added Manuel - It's already a lot to be here, a medal too. I owe it above all to my coach. There were many times I thought about giving up". Five years have passed since, in February 2019, in Rome where he was training as a swimmer at the national center, he was hit in the back by some bullets, fired at him in a case of mistaken identity. He lost the use of his legs. And from there he began a new challenge. He didn't give up swimming, on the contrary, he reached the Paralympics and won a bronze "that's worth gold".
The gold that was won by Giulia Ghiretti in the 100 breaststroke SB4, Federici Bicelli in the 400 freestyle S7 and by Simone Barlaam in the 50 freestyle S9 with the new world record. A day full of medals for Italy. «For me this was the right way, to make this record here, like this, in front of my family, all the people who came to see me, this audience - Barlaam's words - The atmosphere is completely different obviously compared to three years ago, it's incredible. This Paralympics started much better than the past. Today's race was obviously a race that I really cared about and I hoped to do it like this. It was truly incredible», added Barlaam.
In swimming, Giulia Terzi also shone, bronze in the 400 freestyle S7, and Carlotta Gilli, with her fourth medal, who won bronze in the 50 meters S13. On a historic day for the Italian colors, the first medals also arrived from athletics.
Veronica Yoko Plebani celebrates, silver in the women's ParaTriathlon PTS 2 event. And with her also the Italian Francesca Tarantello, silver in the women's ParaTriathlon PTVI race (visually impaired athletes, her guide is Silvia Visaggio). Maxcel Amo Manu almost wins gold, taking silver in the 100 meters T64. The party is completed by the couple formed by Daila Dameno and Paolo Tonon who won the bronze medal in the ParaArchery Mixed Team W1 race.
