News
18/07/2008The countdown has begun: HOLD YOUR BREATH
The year of the Championships has began: this morning, Friday 18 July 2008, the major of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, switched the count down on. From now on in Via dei Fori Imperiali, between the Colosseum and the “Altare della Patria”, all the citizens and tourists will be able to see how many days are left to the opening of the 13th FINA World Championships to be held in Rome from the 18th of July to the 2nd of August. “Three, two, one, zero..” has counted the Mayor of Rome Mr.Alemanno. – 365 days to go from the beginning. “The location at the Foro Imperiali has been strongly wanted by the Municipality of Rome because it is on of the most know place all over the world”, said the President of the Organizing Committee Giovanni Malagò.
Immediately after the lightening, the press conference held at “Terrazza Civita”, where the official Competition Schedule and the official Medals, realized by the Medals Art School and created by the “Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato”, has been presented by the General Director of the Organizing Committee Roberto Diacetti, together with the representatives of the Italian Sport and Politic Institutions. The Mayor of Rome, after thanking the predecessor Mayor Walter Veltroni, who took part at the assignment of the City of Rome for the Championships, said: “this will be an event for which we have to prepare at best, also if there is not much time left we will be able to hand over all the needed infrastructures. We will do the best to offer a clean, safe and well organized city in order to well come all the athletes and all the visitors. We wish that all delegations coming to Rome will feel as at their hometown. It is difficult to find a sport such as swimming able to educate and to have positive effects on body and mind. We are proud to host such a prestigious event.”
“Satisfaction and joy” has been expressed by the FINA President Mr. Mustapha Larfaoui “we all still have in mind the Championships of the 1994”. The FINA President also said to be sure about the success of the 13th FINA World Championships and that the choice of the city Rome has been the right one”.
A total support to the event” said Mr. Rocco Crimi, the under secretary of the Council with proxy to Sport.
“We will be together for this event that makes us proud and is so important for Rome also under an economic and social aspect. “We wish to have and will have 16 days of great organization”, said the President of the Province of Rome Mr. Nicola Zingaretti. The President of the Organizing Committee Mr. Malagò reminded to every body that the Organizing Committee presented in Montreal in the 2005 the project of the Championships at the Foro Italico Venue, not at Tor Vergata. This for, we should not compare the work in progress for the Championships with those for Tor Vergata. He is sure that these Championships will leave a great heritage to the city of Rome also under the infrastructure point of view. The same as for the Venue of Ostia, where the open water swimming will be competed.
The President of the Italian Swimming Federation Mr. Paolo Barelli, said to be very fulfilled and proud about the support of the Institutions and how much they look forward this event. “We will leave new and renewed venue to the city of Rome and we hope to have lots of victories in the 16 days of competitions”.
Many the athletes of the Championships held in Rome in ’94 attending the press conference. Representing water polo: Francesco Attolico, Amedeo Pomilio, Ferdinando Gandolfi, Marco D’Altrui, Carlo Silipo, Roberto Calcaterra, Lilli Allucci, Monica Vaillant and also lots of other Champions such as Klaus Di Biasi and Paola Celli.
As Honor guest Carlo Pedersoli, better know as Bud Spencer, first Italian athlete to do less than 1 min. in 100mt crawl. “Next year I will be 80, but my mind is still in the 60ies. I took part in two Olympic Games, we moved by train and we didn’t have much money but we where together with the water polo team, my friends, and we grew together, also thanks to the Federation and the Institutions that supported us. I look now touched at the young athletes, they represent the link between the past and the future. The Rome Championships will be a great event, an event that will get together past memories and future”.