Italy's Olympic high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi said Saturday it was "all over" for his defence of the title he memorably won with Qatari athlete Mutaz Essa Barshim in Tokyo three years ago as he was "desperate" with a new renal colic from kidney stones, but would compete nonetheless Saturday night starting seven pm.
"It's all over. Last night another kidney colic. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going on the piste," said the 32-year-old charismatic athlete from Marche.
"I'm desperate", the athlete confessed: "I really don't know how I will be able to jump in these conditions".
Tamberi, a double world champion, qualified in last place for the final after struggling with colic and fever.
Yesterday for Italy came the eleventh gold of the Paris Olympics with the women's Madison track cycling event.
There was silver and a new Italian record for Nadia Battocletti after a stunning performance in the women's 10,000 metres behind Kenyan Beatrice Chebet.
The Italian became the first European woman to medal in the event.
Battocletti, who had previously came fourth in the 5,000 in Paris, said; "It also makes one smile a bit, my focus was on the 5,000, in recent weeks I have had to reduce the load due to physical problems, so the 10,000 was not even on my mind. It's only my fourth race at this distance. But I wanted to have some more fun and I got there with a smile and lightness".
Then she went to embrace former Olympic and world champion Gabriella Dorio, gold in the 1500 at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, at the foot of the stands.
Four bronze medals were also won Friday: third place for Sofia Raffaeli in the individual rhythmic gymnastics, for Nino Pizzolato in weightlifting, for Simone Alessio in 80 kg taekwondo and for Andy Diaz in triple jump.
Italy now stands 10th in the Paris medal table with eleven golds, 12 silvers and 13 bronzes.
Carlo Mornati, secretary general of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and Italy's head of mission in Paris 2024, told a press conference at Casa Italia Saturday that "fourth and fifth places cannot be considered failures".
"The medals reflect the forecasts," he added, "and what is significant is the Olympic competitiveness index, so much so that Italy's has remained unchanged, we are fourth behind the United States, China and Germany.
Mornati went on to explain how this index "is difficult to cancel", pointing out how the fourth and fifth places give the idea "of the strength of the (Italian Olympic) movement".
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