Francesco Martino, the primary Lord of the Rings: the story of the forgotten hero who gained two golds in Paris 1924

Francesco was born in 1900, in a kind of years that appear to be the prelude to a turning level in the whole lot. His might be a quiet existence: schooling as much as the sixth grade, in step with the college path of many kids of the time. As an grownup he’ll work on the Apulian Aqueduct in his metropolis (Bari), he won’t marry whereas all the time sustaining a really excessive sense of household. Instructed like this, it’s a life like many others: humble, serene, removed from the limelight. Besides that that Francesco, surname Martinowas the primary lord of the rings of Italian gymnastics. Paris, 1924 Olympics, gold within the particular person competitors doubled within the crew occasion.

A sort and silent hero, maybe just a little forgotten, who Gigi Cavone tells within the ebook “One Hundred of These Rings” (WIP editions). A narrative that begins from distant, even in 1909, when Luigi Ganna enchanted the crowds by profitable the primary Giro d’Italia whereas, as reported by the Corriere delle Puglie of Bari, in a gymnastics competitors “2nd prize goes to Martino Francesco, simply 9 years outdated, an actual revelation”. The ebook is a journey by the historical past of the 20th century (Martino himself, at solely 17 years outdated, took half within the Nice Warfare, distinguishing himself for some actions in submarines), in a planet very removed from the present one, even within the vocabulary. And so it occurs to come across a phrase unknown to most, the recreation middle, that construction appropriate for “to arrange the kid for the duties of civil life, influencing with positive efficacy the bodily, mental and ethical improvement of the rising technology”.

Robust life, even for sports activities. The adventures of historic Angiulli health club, but in addition many out of doors coaching classes that can later be helpful to Martino when, within the take a look at of fact on the Olympics, he’ll discover himself competing uncovered to the strangeness of the local weather and regardless of this he’ll stay for a minute within the place of the cross. The 1924 Olympics will go down in historical past as a stupendous Olympics, which redeems the awkward one which Paris had organized in 1900.

Fashionable video games that additionally look elsewhere, with structure and portray competitions, and that for Francesco Martino mark the watershed. Amsterdam 1928 is simply too distant, he prefers a return to a traditional life. A query of selection, of character, however not essentially a mirrored image of the occasions. As a result of the 1924 video games are filled with stars and individuals who will stay in legend. In swimming he excels Johnny Weissmullerwhich would be the film on the cinema Tarzan extra well-known than the cinema and who beloved to say: “The general public forgives my appearing as a result of they know I used to be an incredible athlete. They know I’m not an impostor.”

In athletics, other than the monumental Finn SpongeBob Nurmithere are the 2 sprinters Harold Abrahams ed Eric Liddell who will discover fame a few years later, on the cinema, in ‘Moments of glory’ and its unforgettable soundtrack. In rowing then, within the eight that wins the gold, James Stillman Rockefeller: can actually take part within the spirit of pure Olympics. He has no monetary issues, simply take a look at his final title.

Per Francis Martin as an alternative there may be the position of the anti-star. Bari, which later can have two different Olympic champions (Pietro Lombardi in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1948 in London and Francesco Attolico, in water polo in 1992 in Barcelona) will dedicate to him a avenue that now doesn’t even exist anymore and the Palamartino. Nonetheless, they may bear in mind him, within the Sixties, on the Quirinale. Giuseppe Saragat will nominate him Knight of Benefit of the Republic.