The fifth edition of ‘Obiettivo Tricolore’, the Paralympic relay created by Alex Zanardi in 2020 to reunite Italy after the lockdown, was presented today in the Sala Caduti di Nassirya. The event was attended by numerous guests, including Senator Giusy Versace and the presidents of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), Luciano Buonfiglio (via video link) and Giunio De Sanctis, respectively.
The relay will commence on Sunday, September 21st, with the final stage concluding on October 10th. The journey will span 23 stages, covering 1,790 kilometers and 18,640 meters of elevation gain. Over three weeks, 70 Paralympic athletes will compete on a route starting in Puglia and finishing in Trentino, passing through Basilicata, Campania, Abruzzo, Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, and Veneto.
Opening the conference, Senator Versace stated, “There is so much work and commitment behind this, and for that, I would like to send a big hug to Zanardi.” Her remarks were followed by speeches from Presidents Buonfiglio and De Sanctis.
De Sanctis said, “I really wanted to be here. I knew Alex well, and I will never forget his success at London 2012, which is where our movement was born. This is an extraordinary initiative that all sports should do because what our movement lacks is the introduction to sport, despite having a high level of great quality. We must work locally to bring people to practice sports.”
Buonfiglio highlighted CONI’s support: “We want to wish the event the very best of luck so that it may be a protagonist and testimonial for a Paralympic activity that promotes inclusion. Sporting performances also serve this purpose: to deliver a social message.”
Athletes from ‘Obiettivo3’, the sports project for the recruitment and support of disabled athletes also founded by Zanardi in 2017, will also be protagonists. Among them is Ana Maria Vitelaru, bronze medalist in handbiking at Paris 2024.
This edition introduces several new features, including ‘challenge stages’ such as a 400km ultra-trail from Matera to Villetta Barrea, and a brand-new sprint triathlon stage on Lake Trasimeno.
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