Italy, with Jacobs, Tamberi and a record delegation to exceed 40 podiums in Tokyo

Marcell Jacobs and Gianmarco Tamberichampions in the 100 meters and high jump, respectively, and current symbols of friendship in Olympic sport, the leaders of highest transalpine expedition in history, with 403 athleteswho will travel to Paris with hopes of beating the historic 40 podiums of Tokyo 2020, where it has become a nation of revelations.

More than 19 athletes have traveled to Japan, with seven women and twelve men more than before, and present in 34 disciplines, Italy wants to surprise the world again with another choral performance that highlights the work conducted by the Italian Olympic Committee. (CONI) for almost a decade, where it invested in its three High Performance Centers (CAR) to improve the preparation of its athletes.

The results are more than remarkable: at the Rio 2016 Games the Italian delegation obtained 28 medals, equal to that of London 2012; and in Tokyo there are 12 more. Today, forecasts from the Gracenote virtual medal table from Nielsen, a global measurement and data analysis company, place Italy in seventh place in the ranking of countries with the most medal projections, with a total of 46.

Tamberi and Jacobs, the image of Italian success in Olympic sport

Holding the standard next to Arianna Errigo -foil champion in London 2012-, holding a half shaved beard that makes it unmistakable, ‘Gimbo’ Tamberi kept the entire CONI in suspense until just a week agowhen he confirmed his definite presence in Paris after suffering a femoral biceps injury that prevented him from competing in the Diamond League in Monaco, hampering his final preparations.

The other great Olympic champion, the queen event of athletics, the competition of competitions, heir to the Jamaican Usain Bolt, is a Marcel Jacobs who after a few years full of doubt after winning the Olympic gold seems to be back at the highest level.

‘Gimbo’ Tamberi and Jacobs are the most recognized of the long list – 82 athletes, 42 men and 40 women – of Italians who will participate in athletics competitions, with the great and recent memory of the European Championships in Rome in June in one. where the ‘Azzurri’ swept home, winning the European Cup for the first time.

From there, from the Olympic Stadium in the Italian capital, many athletes appeared convinced and strengthened for their participation in the great event in the French capital.

Special attention will be given to shot putter Leonardo Fabbri; long jumpers Mattia Furlani and Larissa Iapichino; hammer thrower Sara Fantini; the marcher Antonella Palmisiano and, of course, the great protagonists, regular as some ‘Gimbo’ and in the continuous improvement of this past year Jacobs; all of them have serious options to take the covers.

Lorenzo Simonelli and Filippo Tortu are also well-known names in this sense, sprinters in the 110 meter hurdles, the former, and in the 200 and the relay, the latter, although in their specialties their direct competition comes in the event with better score.

Away from the athletics tracks, Big names also appear with the option of entering the podium, such as Irma Testa and Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine in boxing; Giovanni De Gennaro in canoeing; the women’s foil team; Elena Micheli in modern pentathlon; Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti in sailing; Thomas Ceccon in swimming; Vito Dell’Aquila in taekwondo and the women’s volleyball team, with Paola Egonu leading the team trained by Argentine Julio Velasco to try to win the first medal in this discipline.

The ‘azzurri’ delegation included swimmer Carlos D’Ambrosio, 17 years old; and with gymnast Manila Esposito, 18, as her youngest opponent. The oldest is shooter Giovanni Pellielo, who at 54 years old will participate in his eighth Olympic Games.

The only disappointment, collective sports

Only 4 teams will participate in 8 collective disciplines, 16 including men and women. Volleyball and water polo teams, with men’s and women’s sections classified in both cases, they have saved disaster in this sense, with the football and basketball teams most notable for their absence.

“There is bitterness and disappointment, yes, but it is increasingly difficult to qualify for the Games in these two disciplines (football and basketball), although football tends to achieve it,” said Giovanni Malagó, president of CONI at the end . of the last council before the Games, held on Thursday, July 11.

There will also be no representation in rugby 7, handball, 3×3 basketball and field hockey.

A small blemish on what aims to be another great year for Italian Olympic sport, which aims to repeat its success and surpass its own record of 40 medals.

“They have been three intense years of hard work, we classified 403 athletes and there is always room for improvement. Our goal is to get 41 medals,” Malagó added directly.

The next Games after Paris, the 2026 winter games, will be in Italy, with Milan and Cortina as the main venues.