ANCONA «I won the World Championships and the European Championships, I miss the Olympic laurels. And I will do everything to achieve it.” Tommaso Marini doesn’t hide. The success in the European championship has strengthened the Doric foil player’s desire to close a golden circle that began a year ago on the world stage in Milan. «I’m super happy and excited» says Marini the day after the European victory, relaxed and satisfied.
Joy
«It was tough, I also had a problem with my hand. But I finally managed to win the individual European title that I was still missing and that I had been looking for for some time.” In Antalya, two years ago, he came second, beaten by Daniele Garozzo in another Italian derby. «It was a complicated day, in which I made some mistakes but I was good at reacting coldly when it was time to do so – the Doric foil player recalls with a cool head -. What did I think in those convulsive moments? To not get nervous, to reset and leave as if nothing had happened. To isolate myself from the outside and think only about the next thrust, as if it were the decisive one. Now the team competition (tomorrow, ed.). We care a lot about doing well. I will give everything as always. Then, finally a week of active rest, at home and in the gym in Jesi, then two retreats and off to Paris.” Where, it is to be believed, Marini will still be the protagonist. Just as he was a protagonist at the European Championship. The great champion can also be seen in moments of difficulty. When, almost with his back against the wall, he brings out all his pride by combining it with his undisputed talent. And he gets himself out of difficult situations. This is what happened the other evening to Tommaso Marini during the interminable day spent on the platforms (between the initial and final rounds he played 11 bouts, from the morning until 8.30 pm), culminating with the triumph at the European Championships beating his friend- national teammate Alessio Foconi. A success across the board for the blue foil of director Stefano Cerioni and an important success for Marini who, just as happened to his fellow citizen Gianmarco Tamberi at the recent European Championships, put the turbo in when there was a chance to win.
The turning points
Tommaso went through three difficult moments before climbing to the top step of the podium. The first at the beginning of the day when he had lost the first bout in the initial round against the German Klein, then compensated for by five consecutive successes. The second in the quarter-finals against the Polish Rajski when, leading 14-10, he was caught at 14 all, but then placed the decisive hit. And again in the semifinals in the middle of a chaotic match. Leading 9-5 over the Czech Alexandre Choupenitch, Olympic bronze medalist, the Doric foil player first suffered a warning and then his opponent’s comeback, also thanks to a blow to his sore hand. Until the overtaking marked by a red card for a second warning which made him lose a point. At that point the situation became complicated. Not for Tommaso who, with calm and determination, glacial in his saves and responses, won six of the last seven hits and secured the pass for the final. Where, literally, the other Italian Foconi dominated. «He beat me – Foconi’s comment – we know each other like the back of our hands, he is younger than me, but he deserved to win».
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