World Cup, mission accomplished for the Italian sabre fencers: all of Italy's teams have qualified for Paris

• FENCING

The last stage of Olympic qualification for the men's sabre national team closed with a smile.

The quartet of Luigi Samele, Luca Curatoli, Pietro Torre and Michele Gallo, who were competing in the World Cup on the Budapest (Hungary) pistes, managed to win the ticket for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Italy’s (photo FIS) path in the team competition began with a commanding 45-33 triumph over China, only to be halted in the quarter-finals by the United States, who clinched the victory with a score of 45-39.

For coach Nicola Zanotti's boys, the subsequent elimination of Germany in the semifinals, beaten 45-39 by South Korea, was decisive, allowing the Italian team to consolidate its status as the best European nation behind the top four teams in the world ranking.

Italian fencing has achieved a clean sweep in Olympic qualifications, securing spots for the foil teams, as well as those of epee and sabre for women. Just like in Tokyo 2020, they'll be heading to the French capital with all six of their representatives.

Doha World Championships, 10 km: Acerenza and Verani deliver two Olympic passes to Italia Team

• MARATHON SWIMMING

Italy did not fail to show up in the men's 10 km of marathon swimming.

At the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, Domenico Acerenza (photo Federnuoto) swam an excellent race without ever losing contact with the leading group and eventually finished in seventh place with a time of 1:48:30.40.

Also doing well was the other Italian athlete in the race, Dario Verani, who, thanks to a splendid second half of the race, finished right behind his national teammate, in eighth place with a time of 1:48:30.80.

Their respective final positions guarantee an Olympic pass apiece (nation place) for the Italia Team for Paris 2024. That means two more Olympic quota spots in addition to the one won in the women's race by Arianna Bridi.

Olympic pass for Antonio Esposito: the Italian will be in Paris 2024

• JUDO

The number of Italian judo athletes qualified for Paris 2024 has risen to eight.

After Manuel Lombardo, Christian Parlati, Alice Bellandi, Odette Giuffrida, Assunta Scutto, Asya Tavano, and Veronica Toniolo, Antonio Esposito has clinched the Olympic pass in the -81 kg category.

Protagonist of an excellent start to the season made even more precious by his victory at the Linz Grand Prix and consequent entry into the top 10 of the Olympic qualification ranking, the 2018 Tel Aviv European bronze medallist, who secured Italy a place for the French Games in his weight category, has been officially selected by the FIJLKAM National Technical Directorate.

The selection of Esposito (photo IJF) for the Olympic team is final, regardless of any potential alterations in the Olympic Ranking List, even if it benefits other Azzurri. This choice guarantees him a tailored preparation, ensuring an optimal approach to the prestigious event.

Women's Sabre World Cup: National team makes it to the quarter-finals in Sint-Niklaas and qualifies for the Olympic Games

• FENCING

Italian fencing wins another spot at Paris 2024.

With both the Italian foil and epee teams already qualified for the Olympic Games, it was the turn of the women's sabre national team to reach the goal in the last Olympic Qualification stage of the World Cup.

On the piste in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, Michela Battiston, Martina Criscio, Chiara Mormile and Irene Vecchi (photo Federscherma) beat Greece 45-32, then were defeated 45-41 by Hungary in the quarter-finals. Ukraine's simultaneous victory over the United States in the same round sealed the outcome: Italy go to the Olympics.

The team's qualification allowed coach Nicola Zanotti to field three athletes in the individual Olympic competition.

At this point, only one team is missing for a clean sweep: next weekend in Budapest, the men's national sabre team will compete for the same goal. If the outcome is favourable, the Italian team will join all fencing teams in Paris.

Italia Team exceeds quota number 200! The Italian triathlon mixed relay team flies to Paris 2024

• HISTORIC QUALIFICATION

Italia Team exceeds quota number 200! The triathlon mixed relay team has secured the crucial Olympic spots necessary to surpass Italy's quota of 200 qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With the 4 national slots secured by the triathlon (2 per gender), the total count of Italia Team athletes participating in the French Olympic event now stands at 203, comprising 102 women and 101 men.

The official statement was released by World Triathlon, which, after the cancellation of the World Triathlon Championship Series, Para Cup, and Mixed Relay stage in Abu Dhabi due to adverse weather conditions, has opted, following consultations with the Technical and Athletes Committee, not to reschedule the event. This choice respects the original closing date of the relay ranking, set for March 25th.

With no further events on the calendar, the ranking is now “frozen”, and Italy, currently in eighth place, sits behind Great Britain (runner-up at the 2022 World Championships), Germany (winner of the 2023 World Championships), and France (host country). Italy is among the top six nations in the ranking, guaranteeing direct qualification for Paris 2024. Each gender will have two athletes participating in the individual events.

This marks a historic achievement for FITRI (photo ANSA), as its athletes qualify for the Olympics without the need for repechage or individual rankings for the first time. Furthermore, the team will participate in the mixed specialty, which was introduced into the Olympic program in Tokyo 2020.

Full house for Italy at the pre-Olympic in Busto Arsizio: Lenzi, Charaabi, Carini and Mesiano claim their tickets for Paris

• BOXING

Italy pulls off a stunning final day of the World Olympic qualifying tournament.

In the first session of bouts in the rings of the E-Work Arena in Busto Arsizio, Diego Lenzi (+92 kg/photo FPI), Sirine Charaabi (54 kg) and Angela Carini (66 kg) won out in their respective quarter-final engagements, obtaining one of the individual passes for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris reserved for the four best athletes in their weight categories.

It was absolute domination for the Bolognese, who won by a unanimous verdict (5-0) over Bahrain's Danis Latypov. The girl from Caserta also turned in an excellent performance, prevailing by non-unanimous verdict (4-1) over the tough Korean Aeji IM. No problems, finally, for the Neapolitan, who stopped the Cape Verdean Ivanusa Moreira with a unanimous verdict (5-0).

Then, in the evening, Alessia Mesiano (60 kg) completed the Italian celebration. 48 hours after her defeat in the semifinals by split decision (3-2) against Donjeta Sadiku from Kosovo, she was able to make up for it in the decisive play-off match. Here, in fact, she overcame Slovakia's Miroslava Jedinakova with a unanimous verdict (5-0), securing the last Olympic pass at stake in her category.

The Italia Team, waiting for the last world qualifying tournament, can count on eight five-round quotas in boxing after the other four obtained last June at the European Games in Krakow (Poland) by Salvatore Cavallaro (80 kg), Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine (92 kg), Giordana Sorrentino (50 kg) and Irma Testa (57 kg).

Magic Ilenia Matonti: she dominates the pre-Olympic in Sofia and gifts Italy pass for Paris in the -49 kg class

• TAEKWONDO

A remarkable performance from Ilenia Matonti on the opening day of the European taekwondo Olympic qualifying tournament.

At the venue in Sofia (Bulgaria), the 19-year-old from Salerno wrapped up her performance in the -49 kg division without conceding any rounds, deservedly earning one of the Olympic berths reserved for the top two athletes.

It was an exciting journey for the nineteen-year old (photo FITA), who made her debut by dominating proceedings against the Finnish Ida-Elina Tammila 2-0 (R1 10-0/R2 13-0). Then came another very convincing victory against Germany's Ela Aydin 2-0 (R1 10-0/R2 13-0), granting her a place in the semifinals and a decisive triumph against Sweden's Indra Boden 2-0 (R1 3-1/R2 9-6).

For the Italia Team, which makes its return to a women's Olympic competition after 16 years, this is the third Olympic pass from taekwondo after those secured through the world ranking by Vito Dell'Aquila (-58 kg) and Simone Alessio (-80 kg).

Riccione Open Championships: Leonardo Deplano scores a hat-trick and also stamps his ticket to Paris in the 100 freestyle

• SWIMMING

Leonardo Deplano also qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in the 100 freestyle.

Thanks to the time of 48"09 (limit 48"2) registered in the heats on Thursday, 7 March, and not improved upon by other swimmers during the Spring Open Championships in Riccione, the Florentine (Photo Giorgio Scala and Andrea Masini/DBM) was certain to occupy the second place available for the Parisian competitions along with Alessandro Miressi, silver medallist at the last World Championships in Doha.

For Deplano, this is his third Olympic pass after the two obtained in recent days in the 50 and the 4x100 freestyle.

Riccione Open Championships: Curtis flies to Paris in the 50 freestyle. Olympic pass for Ragaini in the 200 too

• SWIMMING

A flash of lightning in the swimming pool at Riccione’s Stadio del Nuoto. On the opening day of the fourth Italian Open Championships, Sara Curtis took centre stage.

The 17-year-old from Piedmont clocked the fastest time in the 50 freestyle heats: 24''56, below the time limit of 24''6 which led to an individual quota berth for the Olympic Games.

The Italian improved upon the Italian record set by Silvia Di Pietro, who had swum 24''72 on 15 August 2022 at the European Championships in Rome, registering a new European junior record. By Thursday, March 7th, Sara Curtis (photo Federnuoto - Giorgio Scala and Andrea Masini / DBM) had already surpassed Federica Pellegrini's Italian record of 54.40 in the cadet class, set during the Italian Championships in Livorno on March 13th, 2004, with a new time of 54.31.

In the evening, Alessandro Ragaini also sealed his ticket to Paris.

The 17-year-old from the Marche region won the Italian title in the 200 freestyle, notching up a time of 1'45"83 (time limit 1'45"8). For him, as for Curtis, this will be the first Olympic experience of his career.

Italian Open Championships, second Olympic pass for Deplano: the Italian swimmer wins a place in the 4x100 freestyle

• SWIMMING

The third day of the Italian Open Swimming Championships got underway with a triumph from Leonardo Deplano.

Already assured of the Olympic berth in the 50-metre freestyle, the Italian swimmer secured another individual qualification spot for Paris 2024.

In the pool at Riccione's Swimming Stadium, the 25-year-old from Florence (photo ANSA) claimed a time of 48"09 (a new personal best) by winning his 100 freestyle heat and guaranteed himself a place in the 4x100 freestyle relay of the Olympic Games scheduled for the summer in the French capital.

“I am overjoyed,” said Deplano, “and I dedicate this time and the Olympic pass to my trainer Sandra Michelini, my family and all those who have always supported me. I knew I had it in me this time, so I decided to give it my all in the morning heats. My form is solid, but I've been feeling a bit drained after recovering from the flu I had last weekend.”

To secure a spot in the individual competition, Deplano will need to await the initial stages of the 4x100 freestyle relay on Saturday, 9 March.