First came the institutional good-luck send-off, then the visit to Taranto. Now comes the commendation. At Palazzo Valloni, Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva received in audience a representative group from San Marino’s delegation to the Mediterranean Games, in one of the final ceremonies of their six-month term, which concludes on October 1.
A sizeable group in the white-and-blue uniform, athletes and staff alike, was accompanied by the Secretary of State for Industry, Handicraft, Trade, Technological Research, Telecommunications and Sport, Rossano Fabbri, and by the president of the National Olympic Committee (CONS), Christian Forcellini.
In the front row stood the five medalists behind San Marino’s four podium finishes in Taranto. Flag-bearer Jacopo Frisoni claimed a golden double, winning both the individual event and, alongside Enrico Dall’Olmo, the pairs competition in bocce. Two bronze medals followed: one again from bocce, courtesy of the pair Giada and Stella Paoletti, and one from trap shooting thanks to Alessandra Perilli.
Bocce and trap shooting were the disciplines expected to deliver, and they did not disappoint. But the overall balance of the expedition, CONS officials point out, does not end there: strong performances also emerged in other disciplines, including national records and returns to sports where San Marino had long been absent.
“Four medals represent a truly remarkable result,” reads the Regency’s address, which quickly widens its scope: “The Regency’s praise extends to the entire delegation. Every single athlete, from first to last, gave their utmost on the field of competition, embodying the spirit of sacrifice, tenacity and passion that have always defined our community.”
Forcellini placed the emphasis on the team as a whole. “Results in sport always come first, but what matters most is that we return from Taranto knowing we have a fantastic group — young people and athletes who gave everything they had, and above all, athletes of international caliber capable of bringing home important results.” Thanks, he added, must also go to those working behind the scenes: “The coaches, the federations, the volunteers, the families. Behind every result there is always a great deal of work.”
For Fabbri, the value of the trip extends far beyond the medal count. “We come back with an enormous wealth of experience that is truly indescribable, because it was a journey in which all our athletes showed genuine commitment, dedication and deep attachment to the flag of the Republic of San Marino,” the Secretary of State said. “It was one of the most medal-rich editions yet, but I believe the legacy left by taking part in an event as significant as it is challenging — if only because so many major nations were present — goes well beyond the sporting results.”
The audience, he added, also marked the symbolic handing back of the flag: “I believe this expedition was a unique experience, one that truly exceeded even our most optimistic expectations.”
