Pistoia triumphs at the U23 European Championships: gold for Lombardi and Martini in foil

The province of Pistoia European champion. Splendid results for the Pistoia fencers Giulio Lombardi, of Monsummane origin, and Thomas "Riga" Martini, from Agliano, both of whom grew up in sport in Agliana Fencing Club, national blues, coming respectively from the Yellow Flames (but it is prepared with Fides Livorno) and from Carabinieri Sports Center (trains with the Agliana Fencing Club). Lombardi repeated the gold of two years ago in the individual foil event and both, with their Italian teammates Damiano Di Veroli and Mattia De Cristofaro, were crowned champions of team foil at the European under 23s, held in Tallin, in Estonia. While Lombardi received praise from everyone (the athlete is making remarkable progress), Martini was not without some criticism. After an individual performance below expectations, both his and those of the experts, he was able to bounce back with character, obtaining the highest continental laurel.

A gold medal that will enrich his collection and that must be a spur for him to be able to fully express his remarkable talent. In the Baltic country, there were lights and shadows for him, as his coach, the maestro Agostino Sanacore of the Agliana Fencing Club, also explains. "Tommy did not shoot to the best of his ability. In the final of the team event he started on the bench, but after the partial conceded by De Cristofaro (9-3), he was put on the platform, when Italy was down in the score 15-11. He had a good fraction, bringing our team back in the lead 20-19, with a partial of 9-4. In the following assault, he did not do very well (4-6), but in the end he contributed to the 45-40 victory over France.

After a silver and a gold in the under-20 team, he now has a gold in the under-23 team, after the bronze won two years ago in Budapest". The pain came in the individual event. "He was the author of a perfect group - continues his analysis Sanacore -. When we were hypothesizing a semifinal with Lombardi, he ran into defeat, 15-13, in the thirty-second round against his teammate Di Veroli, thirty-first in the draw and in the end bronze medal. And to think that he was ahead 13-9... Then, unfortunately, the light went out". As always in sports, there is no time to rejoice or to grieve: we turn the page. Martini, in fact, will participate in the Canadian stage of the absolute World Cup, in Vancouver.

Gianluca Barni