“So much emotion and great satisfaction for the great success of the event. An emotional evening to remember my cousin Leo, an extraordinary boy who believed in the educational and formative value of sport”. These are the words with which the organizer Sergio Alagna wanted to conclude the third edition of the “Leo Brugnone d’oro” award, an event dedicated to aggregation and sport. “I would like to thank all the companies and athletes who participated and who received the award, the radio station RMC101 and the television station LA TR3 Marsala, which will broadcast the evening on a deferred basis, Tuesday 2 July, at 10:30 pm on channel 83 of digital terrestrial, media partners of the event and, last but not least, the Centro Sportivo Polivalente Pianto Romano which hosted the event. I am happy that, 24 years after that tragic accident that changed the lives of my uncles, my cousins and all of us, the memory of Leo is still alive in the hearts of so many people”. Sergio Alagna then wanted to underline how, over time, the award has acquired value: “I am proud that we have made an event grow that, initially, was born to reward the young athletes of the Cantera Pianto Romano Football School. Considering the good outcome, last year we decided to expand it so that Leo’s memory could remain alive, not only in the hearts of all his friends, but also of the many Marsalese who knew him and not. He was an extraordinary boy, loyal and with many values at the base of his life, cut short on June 25, 2000, at the age of 17, in a tragic accident. His joy, his determination, his desire to excel on the pitch are contained in this Award and in the slogan coined for the occasion: “Play, play, never stop while you can”. This year – continues Alagna – thanks also to the support of many friends, we have enriched the evening by involving many clubs and athletes who, during the 2023/24 sports season, have achieved excellent results, bringing the name of Marsala. I take this opportunity to thank the commercial partners who supported us. The hope is that this event, now in its third edition, can become institutionalized and become, every year, a moment of aggregation, socialization and healthy fun in memory of Leo”.
Echoing the words of the evening’s promoter were those of Leo’s sister, Rosaria: “Today’s event shows that Leo left a lot, because he put his heart into everything he did, in his family, with friends, in football, in his work. It’s nice that my brother’s name is remembered every year”. Visibly moved, his father Vito: “I didn’t expect all this – he declared – It was a truly emotional evening. I’m sure that Leo, from up there, is happy for what is being done”. The evening, presented by the journalist Dario Piccolo, was enriched by artistic gymnastics performances, by the “Diavoli Rossi”, twirling, thanks to the Libellule Marsala company, calisthenics, with the extraordinary performance of the maestro Gaspare Ventimiglia and his students, and, finally, by the voice of the singer from Marsala Giada Riti, who gave emotions to an extraordinary audience.
The “Leo Brugnone d’oro” star, as mentioned, was awarded to the clubs and athletes who distinguished themselves in the recently concluded sports season for the following reasons:
1. Diavoli Rossi Marsala: “For having taken part in and won all the regional Silver team competitions in which they participated, becoming Regional Champions in the LA, LB, LC and LD levels and also the Individual events. For having won the national title with thirteen-year-old Martina Amodeo, first on floor exercise and second all around, a silver medal in pairs with twelve-year-old Quyet Cerami, in the DUO, and two other medals always won by Quyet Cerami, a silver on vault and a bronze on floor exercise. For having participated in the regional team and individual championships with approximately 40 athletes, winning on average, in each competition, at least 35 medals, 19 of which were gold. For having participated in the CSAIN national championships in Rossano Calabro with 34 gymnasts and with 2 gymnasts who became national champions, together with numerous other girls;
2. Francesco Cusenza: “Affiliated with the APSD Amici del Mare Marsala company, he demonstrated exceptional mastery, having the upper hand, with skill and determination, over 165 athletes from all over Italy, who met on the Alcamo coast to compete for the prestigious title of the Italian individual Master championship of sport fishing. This success represents an important testimony of how passion, commitment and respect for nature can lead to extraordinary results”;
3. Marsala Futsal Under 17: “For the extraordinary year of the Marsala Futsal under 17 group, which played 27 official matches during the season, also participating in the regional under 19 championship as a child, missing the play-offs by only one point. For having won the provincial championship of the category, suffering only two defeats in 13 matches played. It then reached the regional Final Four, gaining qualification thanks to the success against PGS Villaurea Pa Monreale Calcio a 5”;
4. Giacoma Cordio: “For having raised the belt of Italian Flyweight Champion to the sky, at the age of 43, beating 19-year-old Aurora De Persio on points at the end of a thrilling and hard-fought match, which took place on 26 April 2024 at the Pala “San Carlo” in Marsala. A round of applause for dedicating the victory to all women, demonstrating that age is just a number”;
5. Le Libellule Marsala: “For their commitment and dedication in promoting rhythmic gymnastics and twirling. For the excellent sporting results achieved in the Italian championship in Montegrotto Terme with the conquest of ten gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze”;
6. Virtus Calcio Femminile Marsala: “For being the first club in Sicily for female memberships for three years with over 100 girls of all ages. For winning the regional under 15 championship, the Discipline Cup in the regional Futsal championship of series C. For having entered the roster of the four teams in Sicily under 12, both in C11 and in futsal and, finally, for having achieved third place in the Promotion Pool of the women’s excellence championship and having reached the semi-final of the Regional Italian Cup”;
7. Silvio Catalano: “A leading athlete of the Canottieri Society, he became the 2024 Italian Windsurfing Champion, in the waters of the Gulf of Mondello, on the occasion of the 50th edition of the Italian championship. He also won a bronze medal in the Slalom category. For having won at the 2024 European Windsurfing Championship, in the Medium-Light category, a gold medal in the “Long Distance”, a silver medal in the “Slalom” (5* Course Race) and, considering the sum of the scores of all the competitions, another silver medal (Overall)”;
8. Miles_Thenx: “For the commitment and dedication in promoting calisthenics. For the excellent placings in the regional phase in Messina of three athletes, who came first and two who reached the national phase after the play-offs out of over 150 participants. For having achieved a first place, a second place, two fourth places and a seventh place during the national phase in Fontanellato, in the province of Parma”;
9. Domenico Giacomarro: “For winning the Serie D championship, group H, at the helm of Altamura, confirming that he is a competent and successful coach. Third Serie D championship won in his career in three different regions: after Pagani in Campania and Picerno in Basilicata, Mimmo Giacomarro from Marsala has achieved a hat-trick in Puglia. Also to be noted in his career are some promotions achieved through the play-off lottery”;
10. Bosco 1979: “For the extraordinary year experienced and culminating with the victory of the Third Category championship, the most difficult of the last 10 years. For having won in Menfi, after the first defeat of the season, demonstrating character and team unity, gaining the 3 points that sealed the mathematical promotion to the Second Category”;
11. Organizers of the Gran Gala of Sicilian Volleyball: “For the extraordinary initiative that will bring together in Marsala, on the occasion of a Gran Gala, all the old glories who have made the history of Sicilian volleyball great, former athletes who have graced the courts of series A and series B from the 70s to the 90s”;
12. Shotokan Karate Do Club Marsala: “For the successes in Italy and abroad of many of the boys who have stood out demonstrating the excellent work done by the Lilibetana company. Among the most important results obtained, we highlight those of Marco di Benedetto with his victories in the Italian championship and in the Ferrara Internationals, Vito Margiotta, 23 years old, Italian Champion 2024, European Champion in Slovenia and now called up to the World Championships in October 2024 in Buenos Aries, Argentina. Call-up also for Aurora Biosa, only 16 years old, a true revelation of the current season”;
13. Asd Marsala Gym Lab: “For the excellent results achieved in both the Gold and Silver categories of Artistic Gymnastics. In this first half of the year, it has distinguished itself by having won the title of Regional Gold Champion A1 with Sofia De Filippi who in the Italian Gold championship also proclaimed herself the 20th best gymnast in Italy and the title of Regional Vice Champion Gold A2 with Asia Bernardone. On the Silver front, it totals with the teams in the Regional Championships three golds, three silvers and one bronze, while in the Individual Regional Championships 10 golds, 8 silvers and 10 bronzes”;
14. Marsala Under 17 and Under 15 Handball: “For the excellent season played, culminating with the victory of the regional Final Four in the under 17 category and a respectable seventh place in the national phase. For having won the regional phase and having reached the national one with the under 15 category. For having won the Regional title of the 2024 Coni Trophy in Catania of beach handball for the third consecutive year”;
15. Real Bambina MCM: “For the dedication and love for football. For having, over the years, kept together an amateur company that, ever since the clay pitch of “Pianto Romano” was born, chose it for the classic weekly match. Because age is not a limit and does not hold back the passion and desire to put on a t-shirt, shorts and shoes to go out on the pitch and give a ‘kick’ to the difficulties that life presents us”;
16. Germaine Lecocq Marsala: “For having participated, for the first time, in the B1 series championship and the C2 Table Tennis championships, obtaining an honorable fourth place, in D1, gaining a third place, and winning the D2 tournament. For having participated, reaching excellent positions, in various regional and national tournaments. For the activity carried out with the wheelchair disabled team and the class 11 Fisdir disabled team. For participating in the world championships that will be held in Rome on 8 and 9 July with the presence of 6,100 athletes. And, finally, for the bronze medal won by Federico Bellissimo at the Italian under 13 doubles championships”;
17. Emanuel Cucchiara: “For having won the European Under 21 Championship for the 3rd time, for having graduated as European Vice Champion with the Italian National Team, for the third place at the NBC of Sardinia beating 3 professionals and for the passage to the National category”.
