Paralympics: Renzi hails Zanardi

(ANSA) - Modena, September 15 - Premier Matteo Renzi on Thursday hailed Emilia native Alex Zanardi for his Paralympics exploits at the Festa dell'Unità in Modena.
    Former racing driver Zanardi, 49, who lost his legs in a CART crash in 2001, won a gold and silver in the Rio handbike events, just one short of London 2012 when he won two golds.
    Renzi told the Emilian crowd: "In these days, one from your region is lighting up Rio de Janeiro: Alex Zanardi.
    "To him and to others like (wheelchair foil gold medallist) Bebe Vio, I should like our embrace to arrive.
    "This is proof that there is a great Italian history of those who succeed," said the can-do premier.
    "To me, those who always say everything is going wrong give a message of no-confidence".