ROME (ITALPRESS) – Another stroke in history. Novella Calligaris, an absolute legend of Italian swimming and beyond, turns 70. Born in Padua on Dec. 27, 1957, Novella breaks all records for precociousness and brings home three Olympic medals, one gold and two bronze, at the 1972 Munich Games. She also boasts three rainbow medals (one gold and two bronzes) and three European medals (one silver and two bronzes) in her palmares, in addition to dozens of Italian titles. “I don’t feel like a myth of Italian sports, I feel like a watershed,” Novella Calligaris said during an interview at the Rome office of Italpress. “What I did in my time was something extraordinary for a woman. I was a slim little girl who did not have muscles or a two-meter-tall physique.” She became an extraordinary athlete also because of the union that was created with her team, Rari Nantes Patavium 1905, and the meeting with her historic coach Costantino Dennerlein known as ‘Bubì and who passed away a year ago: “Bubi was a beacon in my sports career and not only,” Calligaris recounted, “He was not only a great coach recognized all over the world, but he was also a philosopher of sports. “I had total respect for him, I never questioned him even if he made me do some heavy things however I grumbled and did them all the way. I have to say thanks to him, he was fundamental not only in sports but also in life. He taught me to respect the rules, he taught me to get up when I fell down and then he taught me how to lose.” A verb Novella did not know in Italy, which is why her coach took her to compete against East German athletes: “They beat a little bit of everyone, the problem is that they were subjected to state doping,” she explained, “Those girls had not chosen the path of doping, they were victims. Those who asked for their medals back, with the fall of the wall, they should have been ashamed. The only thing these girls had left was that medal. Many girls died, many had cancers, many had deformed children, and do we want to take away their medals too?” Novella ended her career at only 20 years old and today is a journalist, president of the Associazione Azzurri Olimpici d’Italia (ANAOAI) and grandmother of two wonderful grandchildren. “I made a wonderful son who is the center of my life, but I have to say thank you to all my family. If I had to choose I would like to be remembered for who I am. With my flaws and with my merits.”- photo Italpress -(ITALPRESS).
