The Italy of Bebe Vio Grandis, Andreea Mogos, Loredana Trigilia, and Rossana Pasquino secured a bronze medal in the women's team foil event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. In a thrilling match held on the central platform of the Grand Palais, the Italian team triumphed over Hong Kong with a score of 45-33, buoyed by the enthusiastic support from the crowd, including local French spectators. This victory adds to Italy's impressive medal tally at the Games.
Martina Caironi also showcased her athletic prowess, winning a silver medal in the T63 long jump. Meanwhile, the Italian mixed recurve archery team, featuring Elisabetta Mijno and Stefano Travisani, clinched gold by defeating Turkey 6-2 in the final. This remarkable achievement marks a significant turnaround for the duo, who previously secured silver in Tokyo three years ago.
In other events, Antonio Fantin shone brightly by winning gold in the 100m freestyle S6, while Ana Maria Vitelaru, a former wheelchair basketball player originally from Romania, captured bronze in the H5 para-cycling road race. The American Oksana Masters took gold in this event, with Vitelaru finishing strong ahead of her fellow competitors.
Oney Tapia, a Cuban athlete who has made Italy his home, excelled in the F11 discus throw event, securing gold with a throw of 41.92 meters. Additionally, Luca Mazzone earned bronze in the H1-2 para-cycling road race, further contributing to Italy's growing medal count at the Paralympics. Mirko Testa also brought home a bronze in the H3 road para-cycling race, showcasing the depth of talent in the Italian team.
Across the competition, Frenchman Loïc Vergnaud emerged victorious in the H5 road race, winning silver after a challenging race impacted by adverse weather conditions. Vergnaud, who had previously won silver in the time trial, expressed his satisfaction with his performance despite not clinching gold, stating that the medal was valuable in its own right.
In a remarkable display of athleticism, four Spaniards medaled in the time trial cycling events. Ricardo Ten won gold in the C1 category, while Sergio Garrote took the top honor in H2. Eduardo Santas secured silver in C3, and Damián Ramos rounded out the medal haul with bronze in C4. Spain's medal tally now stands at an impressive 30, with more opportunities for medals in upcoming events.
