The experience of Paolo Nicolai and the freshness of Samuele Cottafava available to Italy to pursue the Olympic dream
Samuele Cottafava and Paolo Nicolai celebrate their first Olympic qualification as a couple.
Participation in the Olympic Games on French soil will be the fourth for Nicolai. The athlete from Ortona, paired with Daniele Lupo achieved two fifth places (London 2012 and Tokyo 2020) and a historic silver medal in Rio De Janeiro in 2016: the first in the history of Italian beach volleyball.
The partnership of what was a historic pair for Italy ended in October 2021, after ten years of success including the three European titles (2014, 2016, 2017).
Since then, Nicolai has supported Cottafava. For the player born in 1998, Paris will instead be there first experience with five circles, as well as for the couple’s technician Simone Di Tommaso.
Participation in Paris 2024 was achieved thanks to the ninth place in the Olympic ranking (with 9240 points), nourished by important placings in the tournaments in which the blue duo participated in the period valid for obtaining points for qualification purposes:
- 3rd place at the Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Edmonton, Canada;
- 4th place at the European Championships in Vienna, Austria;
- 2nd place at the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Hamburg, Germany;
- 5th place at the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Paris, France;
- 9th place at the 2023 World Championships in Txaclala, Mexico;
- 2nd place at the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Joao Pessoa, Portugal;
- 5th place at the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Doha, Qatar;
- 9th place at the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Espinho, Portugal;
- 5th place at the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Ostrava, Czechia.
“I feel great pride for what we have managed to achieve. Qualifying for the Olympic Games is a huge goal and achieving it for the fourth time in a row is something that fills me with joy”, the veteran Nicolai told Federvolley.it.
“We can do well and have our say. We know that something important can be done. The attention on daily work it will always be high. We are very happy but we remain humble for what awaits us from today onwards”, continues the 35-year-old athlete confidently.
The wave of happiness also infects Cottafava: “Having managed to qualify for the Olympics is a very strong emotion, a dream come true”.
“Participating in Paris alongside Paolo, who among other things has already played three five-ring tournaments, I believe can be of great help, especially in managing the tournament from an emotional point of view”, concludes the Italian with awareness.
