At the start of the ninth day of the Paralympic Games, Italy is currently ranked sixth in the medal table, having won a total of 56 medals: 17 gold, 11 silver, and 28 bronze. The latest two medals for the Italian team came this morning in Paris. Assunta Legnante secured her second medal in shot put, taking home the gold, while Carlotta Ragazzini earned a bronze in table tennis.
The Paralympics, much like the Olympics, are the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on athletes and stories that deserve to be known and celebrated. One such story is that of Italian athlete Rigivan Ganeshamoorthy, a proud Roman from Dragona with Sri Lankan roots. His name reflects his Sri Lankan heritage, though his accent is unmistakably Roman. Ganeshamoorthy has faced many challenges in his young life. In 2017, at just 18 years old, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disease characterized by numbness in the limbs. At the Saint Denis stadium, Ganeshamoorthy surpassed himself three times in the discus throw: 25.48 meters, then 25.80, and finally 27.06. Not just one, but three consecutive world records, allowing him to outdistance Latvian Apinis and former champion Rocha by over 7 meters. It wasn’t just a victory, but a triumphant, undisputed domination.
Italy had another medal-packed day on Thursday, once again showcasing the talent of Bebe Vio, a prominent figure in Italian sports. Vio led the Italian team to bronze in the team foil event, adding to the individual bronze she had won the day before. Double medalist Luca Mazzone, the Italian flag bearer, earned bronze in the H1-2 cycling road race after winning silver in the time trial the previous day. Mazzone now boasts a total of 10 Paralympic medals in his career. Overall, Italy brought home 8 medals on Thursday, including 3 golds. In swimming, Antonio Fantin won the S6 100m freestyle final. In archery, the Italian Mixed Team of Elisabetta Mijno and Stefano Travisani won gold, defeating Turkey 6-2 in the final. Finally, Oney Tapia claimed gold in the F11 discus throw with a winning distance of 41.92 meters.
