The Ski Olympian will be one of the protagonists of the project: “Torch, like sport, is to support each other”
It is the most titled Italian skier ever, as well as the first to have conquered three gold medals in three different editions of the winter Olympic games in the history of alpine skiing. Deborah Compagnoni is much more than a testimonial, it is legend if we talk about five circles.
From Turin 2006 to Milan Cortina 2026, is it ready to honor the Olympic flame again?
“Readent. That of Coca Cola is a beautiful project started in 1992, the year of my first Olympics. This time it will be special because it involves the whole Italian territory. Personally I agreed to represent it to transmit the Olympic values, those who should always keep in mind. For children, for young people, sport has fortunately a true meaning, unchanged in time”.
In his career he has won a lot, but never in Italy if we consider the Olympic triumphs. Regrets?
“Nobody actually. The Olympics is so international that it was nice to celebrate in different places. As an adult I realize that it is a unique opportunity for the mountain territories to have games, I think of two places of the heart like Bormio and Cortina. They will leave infrastructures, but above all the Olympic spirit”.
What does the torch of the games represent?
“A design object that changes every time, behind which there is always a story. And then it is a symbol, which goes from one place to another and is kept alive, like sport with its values. I see it being together and supporting each other”.
Would you like to be the last Tedofora of the opening ceremony?
“I would like to bring it to my territories, perhaps right from the parts of Bormio, like a normal person”.
In 2006 in Turin it was the penultimate protagonist, between Piero Gros and Stefania Belmondo. What do you remember?
“What a thrill! I remember all the audience, an incredible ceremony. And to say that we did not jump the ignition … the first to enter the stadium was Alberto Tomba, he started to say goodbye to pass the torch. So when I got I had to run quickly. Luckily my friend Stefania, woman and Piedmontese, concluded the moment in the best way”.
270 days are missing at the next winter games. How do you imagine them?
“As an athlete you are focused only on the performance, this time instead I can have an overview and I would like them to be really accessible to everyone, with the audience near the tenders. I remember Lillehammer, there the fans were really the protagonists. In Italy, however, we often put too many barriers …”.
Who would like as a bandier? Many indicate Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia.
“I had the honor of bringing the tricolor to Lillehammer, but if they had chosen someone else I would not have made a disease. Ask any athlete if you prefer to wave the flag or win gold! In any case, a blue ski skiing is welcome, at this moment it is the strongest team we have and represents the best known winter sport. Then they are all very good and whoever will be chosen will do a splendid figure”.
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