Paris 2024 Paralympics, 9 medals for Italy: swimming is gold with Francesco Bocciardo and Carlotta Gilli

Paris, 29 August 2024 – In front of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, who attended the competitions at the Defense Arena, the Italian swimming team conquered eight medals on the first day of the Paralympic Games. The first gold medal for the Italian team at the Games comes from the 100m butterfly. The winner Carlotta Gilli, he thinks about it right after Francis Bocciardo to give Italy the second gold in the 200m freestyle S5. Simone Barlaam wins the first swimming medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the second of the day for the Italian team. Efrem Morelli won the silver medal in the 50m breaststroke SB3, while in the women's 400m freestyle S9 she won the bronze for Vittoria White. Third place also for Francesco Bettella in the men's 100 backstroke S1.  Angela Procida she won the bronze in the 100 backstroke S1, the fourth podium of the day for Italian swimming. She took home the last medal of the day Monica Boggioni in the 200 freestyle S5 with a time of 2:47.96.

But the first podium for the Azzurri came from track cycling. bronze won by Lorenzo Bernard, guided by Davide Plebani, in the pursuit it is also a historic achievement for the Italian Paralympics, being the 600th medal ever at the Games. 

Paralympics, first row from left: Simone Barlaam, Angela Procida, Lorenzo Bernard. Second row from left: Francesco Bettella, Vittoria Bianco, Efrem Morelli

Bocciardo gold in the 200m freestyle S5

 Francesco Bocciar do is a gold medalist in the 200m freestyle S5 at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Already the reigning Paralympic champion after his success in Tokyo, Bocciardo completed the race at La Defense Arena with the  time of 2:25. 99 marking the new paralympic record beating himself and leaving behind the neutral athlete Kirill Pulver (2:27.32) and the Ukrainian Oleksandr Komarov (2:30.13).

Gilli, first gold in the 100 butterfly S13

Carlotta Gilli wins the first Italian gold in the 100 butterfly S13 at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, the sixth swimming medal, the seventh overall of the day. The 23-year-old from Turin, already gold in Tokyo, confirmed the Paralympic title in the 100 butterfly S13, finishing in 1:03.27. Silver for the American Grave Nuhfer (1.03.88) and the Uzbek Muslima Odilova (1.05.43).

Silver for Barlaam in the 400m freestyle S9

Simone Barlaam wins the silver medalThe Italian finished behind Frenchman Didier in the 400m freestyle S9. This is Barlaam's fifth Paralympic medal, his third silver. 

White bronze in the 400m freestyle S9

Shortly after Simone Barlaa, the Italian Vittoria climbed onto the podium of the same women's event White, who won the bronze medal. The race was won by Hungary's Zsofia Konkoly, while the silver went to Australia's Lakeisha Patterson. 

Bettella bronze in the 100 backstroke S1

The blue Francesco Betella won the bronze medal in the 100 backstroke S1. Bettella, at his fifth Olympic medal, was preceded by the Spanish Miguel Navarro Riofrio, gold, and the Greek Dimitrios Karypidis. Italy won three medals in the first three events of the swimming program. 

Procida bronze in the 100 backstroke S2

Angela Procida won the medal of bronze in the 100m backstroke S2The Italian secured third place behind Singaporean Pin Xiu Pin and silver for Mexican Haidee Viviana Aceves Perez.

Morelli silver in 50m breaststroke SB3

Efrem Morelli he is a silver medalist in the 50 breaststroke SB3. The Italian was beaten only by the Japanese Takayuki Suzuki, gold. Bronze to the Spanish Miguel Luque.