There were many at the second edition of the Imola Night Edition, the Imolanuoto festival. Under the proud gaze of the president Mirco Piancastelli, the mayor Marco Panieri and surrounded by the warm participation of over 400 spectators, on Saturday evening the girls of artistic swimming, the Speciabili Imola group coordinated by Alexia Malascorta, the athletes of the sector competed paralympic, coached by Roberta Randi, and finally the male and female swimmers from Imola, starting from the youngest ones up to the champions.
The relays
The most anticipated races were the relays. The first was a challenge between the champions and the coaches, including Fabio Scozzoli, greeted with a roar of applause from the home crowd, and coach Cesare Casella, who swam in the last leg and led his team to victory. The second, more engaging, was the relay race which saw all the Imolanuoto members present lined up. Six teams battled in the water, each led by a champion, in a whirlwind of emotions, splashes, laughter and encouragement. The team in lane 4 prevailed, led by Federico Poggio.
Mayor Panieri will also be present this year: «It is a beautiful celebration of Imolanuoto, a workshop of talents and champions, which brings together many generations. The most important goal is to team up and grow within your community, through solid values and thanks to the commitment of everyone, from athletes to society and parents. Imola’s politics also continue to do their part, actively supporting society: think of the commitment after the recent floods. In recent months we have been thinking together about a new challenge linked to the plant. If I were still a kid, I would sign up to swim here too. In breaststroke obviously.”
Deeply satisfied, president Piancastelli says: «I feel a great emotion, because evenings like this represent the spirit of Imolanuoto. I think that having younger athletes swim alongside champions allows the little ones to realize their sporting dreams. Seeing all this participation gives me hope for the future, in a very difficult period for sports clubs, also due to the reform of sports work and the increase in costs. My dream this year is for at least one athlete from Imola to participate in the Paris Olympics; If I look further ahead, I hope that our young people, in addition to being coaches, will also be managers, because I feel a solid changing of the guard is necessary.” Clearer than that.
LAURA VERGANI
