Italdon’s World Victory in a book by de Sanctis and de Santillo

Rome- Leandro De Sanctis and Pasquale Di Santillo, responsible for years for the volleyball pages of Corriere dello Sport and still today the great volleyball experts, wanted to celebrate in a book the historic achievement of the Bonitta women’s national team that triumphed in Berlin, on September 15. Year of Grace 2002, the only world title still to appear on the Italdonne billboard. ‘Berlin miracle’ It is a passionate and exciting journey through the most important moments of that historic victory with the testimonies of its heroes and the unprecedented story of what happened “behind the scenes” in Germany, in those late summer days. What remains today is in memory of those who lived that ride to the gold medal.

Presentation to the press

“Berlin Miracle It will be officially presented to the press and the volleyball world at the VNL Finals in Bologna on Friday, July 22nd at the Regency Hotel Savoia.

This is the introduction to the book.

On September 15, 2002, the women’s national volleyball team in Berlin defeated the United States in the final and won the first and so far only world title in the sport most played by women in Italy. Historic gold medal in the Italian women’s sport panorama. A starting point on the long and tiring road to women’s emancipation in sport.

Italy, led by coach Marco Bonita, is so far the only Italian coach to become a world champion in volleyball, so I wrote a new page, at the end of a long season, not without bitter difficulties and controversies, starting with the exclusion of setter Maurizia Cacciatori. Which has long been the owner and woman of the movement.

The World Cup in Berlin, which was a springboard for champions like Eleonora Lo Bianco and Francesca Piccinini, who only recently took off the blue jersey, saw a sporting miracle come true as it was once thought it could be just a dream. Elisa Togot is a relentless champion in the award-winning MVP final, a stunning and extraordinary feat built by Munster in Berlin, passing through Bremen. A gold medal that started from afar, the result of a long work that also included Velasco and Frigoni, technicians of the first Italian men’s volleyball world championships, and accepted by Giuseppe Bosetti.

The Berlin Miracle is the story of those days, about the expectations and hopes of volleyball players who built a milestone in the sport. Not to forget their project and celebrate their memory. With a special devotion to remember Sarah Anzanillo.

of counter cover-

” That evening in Berlin we had an appointment with the history of our sport. And thanks to the thought of ball by ball, we were able to make everyone’s dream come true “.
Manuela Legere

“ When it came time for dry matches, indoors or out, from the quarter-finals onwards, we were able to find, as if by magic, an incredible understanding. Self-esteem began to grow slowly, with amazing progress. With self-respect we realized that a really great result can be achieved “.
Elisa Togot

” After the fear, here is the transformation of the team that ball after ball, group after group, game after game I realized that he could really win what he had been chasing all his life and had no intention of wasting the opportunity. I felt like we had changed all of a sudden but I didn’t think until that moment.”
Eleonora Lo Bianco

“Saying that we were aiming to get into the top six wasn’t enough, I said we were going to win a medal: Why do we set limits? They took me for vanity. Then we know how it ended.”
Marco Bonita