Sofia Raffaeli on the Olympic podium: historic bronze in the individual all-around at the Olympics

• RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS

Sofia Raffaeli made history for Italian rhythmic gymnastics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

At the Porte de la Chapelle Arena, the 20-year-old from Chiaravalle won bronze, securing the country's first-ever individual all-around Olympic podium in this discipline. This remarkable achievement adds to the three team medals Italy has won over the past two decades: silver in Athens 2004 and two bronzes in London 2012 and Tokyo 2020.

The 2022 world champion (photo by Simone Ferraro/CONI), who finished first in the qualifiers (139.100), didn’t start the final in the best way. Some mistakes in both the hoop (35.250) and the ball (32.900) routines left her in fourth place after two rotations. However, with a stunning 35.900 in the clubs routine, she broke back into the top three, a position she maintained through the final ribbon exercise (32.250). The gold medal went to Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev (142.850), who finished ahead of Bulgaria’s Boryana Kaleyn (140.600) and the young Italian, who concluded with a total score of 136.300. Milena Baldassarri finished eighth with a score of 129.700.

Nino Pizzolato secures bronze in the -89 kg: second consecutive podium at the Olympic Games

• WEIGHTLIFTING

Nino Pizzolato once again earned a spot on the Olympic podium.

Three years after his third-place finish in Tokyo (-81 kg), the lifter from Trapani claimed bronze at Paris 2024, this time in the new -89 kg weight category.

The Sicilian (photo by Ferdinando Mezzelani/CONI), following his second attempt, completed the snatch phase with a total of 172, positioning himself in fourth place at the halfway point. The battle continued in the clean and jerk, where Pizzolato, after two failed attempts, succeeded in lifting 212 in a thrilling final lift. Initially declared invalid, the lift was confirmed by the jury after a brilliant video review by the Italian staff.

With arms raised, tears flowing, and embraces all around, the Italian completed the event with a total of 384 (172+212), finishing just behind Bulgaria's Karlos May Nasar (404: 180+224), who set a new world record, and Colombia's Yeison Lopez (390: 180+210). Fourth place went to Moldova's Marin Robu (383: 175+208), who was overtaken by the Italian by just one kilogram.

Carlo Tacchini and Gabriele Casadei take silver in the C2 500: Italia Team reaches 30 medals at Paris 2024

• CANOE SPRINT

Carlo Tacchini and Gabriele Casadei added another medal to Italia Team's tally, bringing the total to 30 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

At the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, the Azzurri crew claimed silver in the C2 500, bringing an Italian two-man canoe back to the Olympic podium 64 years after Aldo Dezi and Francesco La Macchia's second-place finish at Rome 1960 (in the C2 1000).

Casadei and Tacchini (photo by Luca Pagliaricci/CONI) had an extraordinary journey, finishing second in their heat to earn a direct spot in the semi-finals, avoiding the quarter-finals. They subsequently finished third in the semi-final, securing a place in Final A. In the final, after a slow start, they mounted an exceptional comeback, finishing in 1:41.08, just behind the Chinese duo of Hao Liu and Bowen Ji (1:39.48). The podium was completed by Spain's Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Dominguez (1:41.18), who narrowly beat the neutral athletes Zakhar Petrov and Alexey Korovashkov (1:41.27).

Tita and Banti make history: triumph in the Nacra 17 securing Italia Team's 10th gold at Paris 2024

• SAILING

Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti elevated Italian sailing to the highest ranks at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In the waters of Marseille, the duo (photo by Federvela) dominated the Nacra 17 event, reaffirming their position on the top step of the Olympic podium, three years after their triumph in Japan, and bringing Italia Team its tenth gold medal (equalling the hauls of Tokyo 1964, Athens 2004, and Tokyo 2020). This is a legendary feat, as no other Italian crew has ever won two Olympic titles, let alone in consecutive editions.

Tita and Banti completed a breathtaking campaign, winning six of the twelve races in the Opening Series. With a total of 47 points (27 net points), they built an insurmountable lead before the final Medal Race, where they entered as leaders, already assured of a podium finish. A second-place finish behind France in the final race further confirmed the dominance of the Italian pair, who concluded with 31 net points, extending their lead over their closest rivals: Argentina's Mateo Majdalani and Eugenia Bosco (second with 55), New Zealand's Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson (third with 63), and Great Britain's John Gimson and Anna Burnet (fourth with 69), who were disqualified for a false start and prematurely eliminated from podium contention.

For the Italian sailing team, this is the sixth Olympic gold in its history, and the second of this edition, following Marta Maggetti's triumph in windsurfing (iQFOiL).

Taddeucci shines in Paris 2024: she conquers the Seine to claim bronze in the 10 km

• MARATHON SWIMMING

A heroic Ginevra Taddeucci emerged from the Seine with a medal around her neck, marking the 28th for Italia Team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In the women’s 10 km marathon swimming, the 27-year-old athlete from Florence secured bronze, achieving the most significant result of her career after winning silver at the 2022 European Championships in Rome.

The Italian (photo by Giuseppe Giugliano/CONI), who was consistently in the leading group from the first strokes, boldly inserted herself into the trio that broke away around the sixth kilometre, setting up a fierce final sprint for victory. The Dutch swimmer Sharon van Rouwendaal (2:03:34.2), also a champion in Rio 2016 and silver medallist in Tokyo 2020, touched first ahead of Australia's Moesha Johnson (+5.5) and the Tuscan swimmer (+8.6). Giulia Gabbrielleschi also performed well for Italy, finishing in a commendable sixth place (+43.7).

For the Italian women's open water swimming team, this marks the third Olympic podium place, following Martina Grimaldi’s bronze in London 2012 and Rachele Bruni’s silver in Rio 2016.

Men's team pursuit: the quartet wins bronze at Paris 2024 and claims another Olympic podium

• TRACK CYCLING

A third place to maintain their habit of reaching the Olympic podium.

After their triumph three years ago in Tokyo, the men's team of Francesco Lamon, Filippo Ganna, Jonathan Milan, and Simone Consonni won the bronze medal in the team pursuit event at the Paris 2024 track cycling competition.

The Azzurri (photo by Simone Ferraro/CONI), fourth in the qualifiers with 3:44.351, were denied a spot in the gold medal final by Australia. The latter’s time of 3:40.730 was enough to beat Italy’s 3:43.205, who went on to compete for bronze against Denmark. At the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome, despite being mostly in a deficit, the Italian team put on a spurt over the final thousand metres to finish with a time of 3:44.197. This pace proved unsustainable for their opponents (3:46.138), who had to settle for fourth place. 

The final victory went to Australia (3:42.067), who got the better of Great Britain (3:44.394) in the gold medal match.

Mattia Furlani shines at Paris 2024: he leaps to 8.34 and takes bronze in the long jump

• ATHLETICS

Mattia Furlani unveils his extraordinary talents at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

At the Stade de France, the Italian 'Spiderman' won the bronze medal in the long jump at the end of a highly tense competition, becoming the second Italian ever to stand on the Olympics podium in this speciality after Giovanni Evangelisti, who achieved another third place in the 1984 Los Angeles edition.

The 19-year-old from Castelli Romani (photo by Simone Ferraro/CONI), fifth in the qualifications with 8.01, set the tone early with jumps of 8.34 and 8.25. He then had two fouls, another 8.34, and finished with 8.27. The measurements of the first and penultimate jumps, only surpassed by Greek Miltiadis Tentoglou (8.48), the reigning Olympic, world, and European champion, and Jamaican Wayne Pinnock (8.36), proved decisive. 

It was another splendid achievement from the Roman athlete, who also won silver at the Glasgow indoor World Championships and the Rome European Championships earlier this season.

Skeet: Bacosi and Rossetti triumph in the mixed team event: Italy’s ninth gold medal at Paris 2024

• SHOOTING

The Italian flag flies high at Paris 2024 at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

In the first mixed skeet team event in Olympic history, the gold medal was claimed by an Italian pair, Diana Bacosi and Gabriele Rossetti, who return to the top of the podium after their individual titles at Rio 2016.

The two Azzurri (photo by Ferdinando Mezzelani/CONI) delivered a superb performance in the preliminary session, achieving a score of 149/150, equalling the world record for qualification. In the gold medal match, they faced the US duo of Vincent Hancock and Austen Jewell Smith, who were narrowly defeated with a final score of 45-44. 

Bacosi and Rossetti embraced and celebrated, securing Italy’s 25th medal of these Games and the ninth gold for the Italia Team.

D’Amato wins gold and Esposito bronze on the beam: a legendary double podium for Italy at the Olympic Games

• ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS

Alice D’Amato and Manila Esposito continue to make history in Italian artistic gymnastics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

After contributing to the silver medal in the team event, a legendary double podium on the beam transpired at the Bercy Arena, with the two Azzurre each taking gold and bronze respectively.

D’Amato (photo Simone Ferraro/CONI), seventh in qualifying (13.866), delivered a sublime performance, scoring an outstanding 14.366 (D: 5.800-E: 8.566). The Chinese athlete Yaqin Zhou, with a score of 14.100 (D: 6.600-E: 7.500), had to settle for silver. Esposito also made it into the top three, receiving a score of 14.000 (D: 5.800-E: 8.200) after a sixth-place finish in the preliminary phase (13.966). American superstar Simone Biles had to settle for fifth with 13.100 (D: 6.200-E: 7.200-P: -0.3). 

This marks a historic day for Italy. Since the inception of the Games, this is the first individual podium on the apparatus for Italian female gymnasts. Vanessa Ferrari had previously achieved this feat with a silver medal on the floor exercise at Tokyo three years ago. 

It means Italia Team has secured its 23rd and 24th medals of this Parisian edition, bringing the total to 8 golds, 10 silvers, and 6 bronzes.

Olympic silver for the Azzurri in foil: Japan prevails in the Paris team final

• FENCING

The Italian men's team secures spot on the podium in the team foil event at the Olympic Games.

In Paris 2024, on the piste of the Grand Palais, Tommaso Marini, Filippo Macchi, Guillaume Bianchi, and Alessio Foconi (photo Augusto Bizzi/CONI) claimed silver, giving Italy its 22nd medal of this edition of the Games.

The Azzurri defeated Poland 45-39 in the quarter-finals, and in the semi-finals, in another intense match, were able to overcome the United States. In the final act, however, Japan blocked the path for the team of head coach Stefano Cerioni, winning with a score of 45-36.

Italy had not reached the Olympic podium in team foil since London 2012, when the quartet of Valerio Aspromonte, Andrea Cassarà, Giorgio Avola, and Andrea Baldini won gold.