From Fidanza to Ihemeje, from Cassarà to Malinov: who are the 11 Bergamo players at the Olympics

The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics is one of the most anticipated moments. The parade along with the flag bearer is a unique event, full of emotions, but at the same time bears great responsibility.

Although lasting only a few minutes, this event captures the essence of the sport, between broken dreams and unexpected joys.

Those who can experience all this on Tokyo Night will be the twelve athletes who will carry the colors of Bergamo in the Japanese competition.

From the freshness of Martina Fidanza to the enthusiasm of Emmanuel Emigi, ten of them will make their debut from five circuits in the Land of the Rising Sun aiming for a medal lost since Athens 2004.

Athletics

Hassan Fofana (110m hurdles, Fiam Oro): Originally from Gavardo (BS), the 29-year-old policeman grew up in the ranks of Atlética Bergamo 1959 where, under the technical guidance of Alberto Barbera, he reached athletic maturity. Always associated with a European region, the blue won the gold medal at the 2019 European Games.

Emmanuel Emeji (triple jump, Athletica Estrada): A real surprise for the indoor season, the 22-year-old from Verdelino showed all his talent in the US as he won the NCAA title at home and abroad. He managed to land at 17.26, and Paolo Brambella’s pupil won the silver at the last Italian championships.

Emmanuel Emeji

Yassine Rachik (Maratona, Viame Oro): Born in Morocco and arrived in Italy in 2004, the 28-year-old from Castelli Calbio rewrote the history of national athletics by taking bronze at the European Championships 2018. by Alberto Colli holds the fifth best Italian ever More than forty-two kilometers.

Yassine Rachik

Basket

Marcela Felipe (Basket 3X3, ASD San ​​Martino di Lupari): Coming from the world of traditional basketball, the 36-year-old from Bergamo represents the logo of Italian basketball 3×3. Basketball player Orobica, who managed to win the world title in the Manila 2018, who led the Azzurri team on her debut in five circuits with her expertise.

Marcela Felipe

Cycling on your own track

Martina Alzini (Team follow-up, Valcar-Travel & Service): Having made it to Team Bottanuco in 2020, the 24-year-old has been able to find herself under Davide Arzeni’s guidance, taking two silvers in recent European Championships. The Italian record holder in the team quest, young Lombard will try to replicate the feat also in Tokyo.

Martina Alzini

Elisa Balsamo (Following the team and Madison, Valcar-Travel & Service): The star of the Orobic team, Sarnico-based Cuneo has just returned from 2020 to be framed. Ready to make her contribution both on the track and on the road (where she will play a reserve), the 23-year-old from Piedmont will aim to improve on the bronze medal she won last year in America.

Elisa Balsamo

Simon Consone (chasing team and Madison, Team Cofidis): In his second round on the Olympic stage, the 26-year-old from Brimbati Sopra was one of the men Technical Commissioner Marco Villa puts with the most confidence. The protagonist of the last Giro d’Italia, the sprinter from Bergamo, will have the task of guiding the brigade-bearer Elia Viviani into a historic Olympic double.

Simon Consone

Martina Fidanza (Team chase, Isolmant-Premac-Vittoria): The 21-year-old Scratch specialist from Brembate Sopra was one of the main queens at the last European Under-23 Championships where she won three gold medals. Initially in this review, a European pistard can prove to be one of the surprises for our excursion.

Martina Fidanza

Vittoria Jawazini (Team follow-up, Valcar-Travel & Service): A key pawn for the team headed by Valentino Villa, the 20-year-old from Tuscany, who in the early years emerged as an elite to move forward quickly on the road and on the track, was her teammates in the Chase National Record.

Vittoria Jawazini

Fence

Andrea Casara (Singles and Team, Carabinieri): The veteran of the Blue Campaign, Bergamasca Fencing’s sporting director, will compete in the fifth Olympic Games in a row. Having already worn two gold and one bronze medals in previous editions, the 37-year-old from Brescia will try to expand his palm patch.

Andrea Casara

triathlon

Gianluca Pozzati (Single Test and Mixed Relay, 707 Team Minini): A member of the blue mixed relay who won the five-circle pass, the 27-year-old from Pergine Valsugana will arrive in Japan with the goal of surprising technicians and fans. An engineering student at the University of Bergamo, Trentino Triathlete will aim to capture the historic top ten in the relay.

Gianluca Pozzati

Plane

Ophelia Malinov (Scandic volleyball Savino del Pini): The 25-year-old daughter of former Foppapedretti coach Atanas Malinov from Torre de Rovere, was for several years one of the key players in Davide Mazanti’s squad. The owner in the hexa that won the silver medal at the 2018 World Cup, the blue setter will take on the task of dictating times to the team directly from the Control Room.

Ophelia Malinov