The Italy Paralympics team has been making a splash with 15 medals so far in the competition.
Of the 15 medals, 13 have come from the pool with two more in cycling and Taekwondo.
Day 1 saw a total of 8 medals with Franceso Bocciardo and Carlotta Gilli taking Gold. Simone Barlaam took silver in the men’s 400metre freestyle. Efrem Morelli also took silver in the Men’s 50m backstroke.
A host of bronzes came from Francesco Bettella (100m backstroke), Monica Boggioni (200m freestyle), Vottoria Bianco (400m Freestyle), and Angela Procida (100m backstroke).
In the cycling, Lorenzo Bernard took bronze in the men’s B 4000m Individual Pursuit.
On day 2, Antonio Bossolo won bronze in the men’s 44-63kg Taekwondo. Stefano Raimondo took gold in the 100m breaststroke, whilst Carlotta Gilli added to her medals with bronze in the 100m backstroke.
Raimondi, who became a father earlier this year, won his gold His medal in 100m after a fourth place finish in the freestyle S10, but he was not discouraged.
“It actually gave me a better idea of my current physical condition and it helped me evaluate better how to handle the next competition,” Raimondi told the IPC.
“Getting the gold having here Giulia and Edoardo with me has a different value, it feels like the first ever.”
“Indeed, when I was on the podium it was actually difficult to hold my tears back. I pushed a lot in the last 50 metres, and it was challenging, but hearing the crowd in the background was amazing.”
Gilli completed the set of medals with a silver in the 400m freestyle on day 3. She was joined by Francesco Bettella who also won silver in the men’s 50m backstroke.
