Italian Air Force takes home 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronzes
The 2022 edition of the Munich multi-sport European Championships came to a brilliant close for our athletes. In fact, on the evening of Sunday 21 August, a thoroughly deserved Bronze Medal in the women's 4×100 relay thanks to a fantastic final leg of Leading Aircraftman Alessia Pavese, on her debut in the national team vest. The Italian quartet (Zaynab Dosso, Dalia Kaddari, Anna Bongiorni and our own Alessia Pavese) finished behind Germany (Gold) and Poland (Silver). Italy had only reached the podium in the women's 4×100 relay at the European Championships on two other occasions: in 1938 and in 1958. Also worthy of mention in the team is Leading Aircraftwoman Johanelis Herrera Abreu, present in Monaco, ready as a reserve.
In the preceding days, bringing home a European medal for the Italian Air Force Sports Centre (CSAM) that had been missing since Gothenburg 2006 (Andrew Howe – gold in the long jump) was achieved, with a fine Bronze, It Leading Aircraftman Osama Zoghlami in the 3000m steeplechase. With 8’23″44, Zoghlami finished behind Finland’s Raitanen (gold) in 8’21″80 and fellow Italian Amhed Abdelwahed (silver) in 8’22″35.
In Artistic Gymnastics, Italy has won a fantastic Team Silver Medal. Present in the race is the Leading Aircraftman Andrea Cingolani. A historic result for the senior men's national team, which had never previously reached the podium at a European Championship. Among the national coaches, it is worth mentioning the Leading Aircraftman Alberto Busnari.
To add the heaviest metal to the medal tally took care of it, in the Canoe Sprint K2 200m., he Leading Aircraftman Manfredi Rizza who, paired with the Prison Police athlete Andrea Di Liberto, achieved a sensational Gold by a photo finish.
The Monégasque fair, now in its second edition precisely on the 50th anniversary of the Olympics hosted by the German city, saw the participation of many other Italian Air Force athletes who, although they did not win medals, still performed very well:
Athletics
In the Shot Put, Leading Airman Leonardo Fabbri closed at 7th place with 20.74 m, which earned him his season's best. The last European final reached by an Italian weightlifter dated back to 1998 with Paolo Dal Soglio, Fabbri's current coach.
The Chosen Aviator Emmanuel Ihemeje It has arrived 9° in the final of the Men's Triple Jump with 16.55 m and the bitterness of a millimeter-thin no-jump of almost 17 metres on the first attempt.
9th place in the High Jump also for Leading Airman Marco Fassinotti. Because of the runway made slippery by the rain, along with four other athletes he made three mistakes starting from the 2.18 height. Victory went to Olympic Champion Gianmarco Tamberi.
In the 1500 metres, 12th place for the Italian Champion, Leading Airwoman Ludovica Cavalli, with 4’10.93”. A positive performance nonetheless, given that she was seeded with the 18th fastest time.
In the 35 km race, Leading Airman Michele Antonelli he is unfortunately disqualified at the 21st kilometre when he was in 10th position.
In the final of Women's Triple Jump 14th place in Group A for Dariya Derkach. With 13.65 m, athlete A.M. finished just 6 cm away from the last qualifying spot for the final.
19th place for A.S. Roberto Orlando in the three javelin qualification throws. With a best throw of 73.59 m, athlete A.M. was excluded from the final for the top twelve.
Unfortunate experience in the semi-finals of the 3,000 female hemp plants for the Leading Aircraftwoman Martina Merlo. After less than a kilometre of the race, she fell into the water at the second water jump and was then run over by her opponents as she tried to get back up. The race was irremediably compromised for Martina, who had realistic qualification ambitions and nevertheless continued her event, finishing fifteenth in 10’12.13 and with no chance of being repechaged for the final.
Beach Volleyball
No Beach Volleyball, the final balance for the 4 Italian couples and the six CSAM athletes is a fifth place for the Chief Airman Marta Menegatti paired with the federal athlete Valentina Gottardi; ninth place for the Leading Aircraftman Paolo Nicolai and the federal athlete Cottafava, jointly with the couple Leading Airman Adrian Carambula – Senior Airman Enrico Rossi; 17th place instead for the pair Leading Airman Daniele Lupo – Senior Airman Alex Ranghieri.
Table tennis
In Table Tennis, after having faced 4 singles challengers and losing only one match, the Leading Aircraftman Mihai Bobocica he has to surrender to the Hungarian Szudi, who denies him passage to the main draw. In the men's doubles, Bobocica, paired with the athlete Stoyanov (Fiamme Azzurre), stopped in the round of 16, finishing in 9th place.
In short, third place for Italy in the European medal table, out of the 35 participating nations, with 51 medals, of which 14 were gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze, which theThe Italian Air Force Sports Centre contributed with 4 medals (1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronzes)
