The outgoing blue-bronze quartet, with Pozzobon and Taddeucci, Acerenza and Greg beat Hungary, Australia and Germany
Grand’Italia: the cross-country relay takes over the world. With Barbara Pozzobon and Ginevra Taddeucci, with Domenico Acerenza and Gregorio Paltrinieri. A kilometer and a half each to glory. A super performance for a triumph awaited since 2002. From the bronze medal a year ago in Budapest to the gold medal in Fukuoka, in 1h10’31″2: beaten by 4″1 Hungary, while Australia at the photo finish slips away the bronze Germany for a faulty touch on the scoreboard by Klemet. A Germany that wanted to save Florian Wellbrock in view of the pool races, and was punished. After the silver and bronze of Greg and Acerenza in the 5 km, the first gold of the blue expedition matures and confirms the potential of Stefano Rubaudo’s national team. It’s the third gold in history after those of 2000 and 2022. A crazy relay.
What a race
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High and annoying waves, a choppy and treacherous sea for the mixed 4×1500, men and women lined up as needed. Immediately at the start Pozzobon remains attached to Germany behind the Brazilian Cunha. For Barbara, a 25 km racer, still an extreme situation on the contrary. The more delicate change with Spain in front thanks to the first man fractionist is overcome: the deb defended well, 14th at 1’28” and takes over from Taddeucci, who makes Leonie Beck, fresh double champion: Spain still in front, USA at 7″ and France (which alternates between a man and a woman) at 8″ are on the run with Australia at 1’12”, Italy is eighth at 1’24” with a second margin over Germany double gold outgoing. It’s up to Acerenza to start the comeback. A third lap in which Mimmo quickly recovers almost half a minute but has to control the Hungarian Rasovszky, slipstreaming until he passes him before the last buoy, the tacking one, with 2 km to go. Australia takes the lead over the USA and Germany at 16″ and 17″ but Italy also fills the gap with the “kangaroo”. The goal of our bronze in the 5 km is to put Paltrinieri in a position to have a bit of margin. After a very profitable and very generous fraction of Acerenza, the change arrives with Greg starting 7” from Australia, the Hungarian Betlehem and the German Klemet are 2 seconds behind. Greg takes 10 meters to overtake Kyle Lee and takes the lead, accentuates the pace, attacks the water but can’t get rid of the Magyar, who is a very tough nut to crack. Therefore the blue Olympian thinks, tries to accelerate and detach the competition to avoid dangerous brawls in the final. The race is of great intensity, open but with Greg in command of the train that is created. Germany and Australia are resigned to compete for the podium. Betlehem doesn’t give up, Greg swims angrily raises his head aware of being one step away from triumph and at the sight of the funnel 100 meters from the finish line he knows it’s done. The resistance is definitively won by GregOro!
What a group
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Gregorio on the pier releases the joy for the eighth medal in the specialty: “First time with gold at the World Championships in relay: how nice. We had a bomb strategy, we prepared very well, Mimmo was perfect, I threw myself gassed and I knew it would go well. We close with a gold, we just need the Olympic pass but we’ll get it next time. The important thing is to always try, we all went well, I’m happy with how this fund project is going”. Acerenza adds: “We did everything we had to, the women were super good at defending themselves, then everything was easier for us. The union, the strength of the team, has come out. In these situations there’s nothing for anyone, we wanted this medal at all costs, we lacked it and we’re enjoying it to the fullest”. Pozzobon is radiant: “I’m very happy, my first time in the relay and world champion”. Geneva is telegraphic: “Perfect race, perfect gearboxes, we could only do this”.
July 20, 2023 (change July 20, 2023 | 02:51)
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2023-07-20 00:51:34
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