Francesco and Andrea, two Sport Project Bitonto athletes at the Regions Trophy – BitontoLive.it

Thirteen years old, top energy and enthusiasm, and the awareness that an opportunity like this only comes once in a lifetime. Francesco Attolico And Andrea Pignatelliathletes of Sport Project Bitontoare preparing to take to the pool to represent Puglia at the Swimming Regions Trophy for Beginners A, scheduled for 29 and 30 June in Scanzano Jonico (Matera), organized by the Italian Swimming Federation. Each regional team fields its ten best competitors aged 11 to 13: five boys and five girls. Andrea and Francesco are in the men’s team together with an athlete from Cus Bari and two from Pentotary Foggia.

The two boys followed a parallel path that crossed a year ago when Andrea, from Giovinazzo, signed up with the black-yellow club. The first training session in the municipal swimming pool of Bitonto was enough – their parents say – to make friends. A bond cemented by months of preparation and competitions, and by the joy of having both won the call-up to the Apulian representative team at the Trofeo delle Regioni.

«I started baby swimming with my mother – says Francesco Attolico – when I was less than a year. At 2 years old I started courses and at 7 competitive swimming. This swimming pool is a second home for me, I have been here every day for twelve years.”

Andrea Pignatelli, former Netium Giovinazzo, also started competitive swimming at the age of 2 and at 7. «We are excited and excited – He says – because we achieved this goal after long work, months or rather years. We worked hard but it was really worth it!

The competitive movement at Sport Porject Bitonto has around one hundred members. The sports director Lorenc Feleqi explains that “in parallel courses, water fitness and supervised swimming for people with disabilities, a competitive sports project is developed focusing on the most promising kids in the swimming school.

The person responsible is Domenico La Tegola. «I am the technical guide – He says – and I hope also an example for their growth. The first lesson is not to get discouraged when things seem to be going badly, because negative experiences help you get over it. I have been working in the municipal swimming pool of Bitonto for two years and I take care of the competitive school, from the Propaganda sector (5-6 years) to the Beginners B and A (9-13 years) up to the Absolute category. For us it is a great pride to be able to field two of our athletes at a national event of extraordinary importance. Francis – explains – he will compete in the 200m breaststroke, Andrea in the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle. It was a very intense preparation but the boys are extremely helpful, full of grit and determination. They have what it takes to get there.”

Andrea and Francesco train in the water every day from Monday to Saturday for at least an hour and a half, and twice a week they also carry out athletic training sessions in the gym, always in the municipal swimming pool, under the guidance of Luigi Campana. Master La Tegola explains that consistency in swimming is fundamental: «It is enough to skip two or three training sessions to lose sensitivity to the water, therefore it is a sport of enormous sacrifices, for the kids, for us and for the parents».

“For me, water is like a sister, because you have to live with it, you have to understand it, then maybe you argue with it and make peace again.” The comparison – explains Andrea smiling – is with his little sister Chiara.

For Francesco «water is everything, my life. I feel free and happy in the water.”

«Already arriving at the call – says Domenico La Tegola – it is an extraordinary result, which rewards all the work done. I want to thank the company that provides us with adequate time and space to allow us to grow our talents. I also thank our staff, the colleagues who allow us to work at our best. And I thank the parents because, if it weren’t for their efforts, all of this wouldn’t be possible: with their availability and patience they allow the kids to cultivate their dream.”