Rowing, the Mondelli story continues: here is Elisa, the “little sister” in the name of Filippo

The blue oar season will restart from 10 to 23 January. The technical director Francesco Cattaneo has summoned 61 athletes, between men and women, who in Sabaudia will start preparing for the year that will culminate with the World Championships in Racice (Czech Republic) in September. Elisa Mondelli, the 23-year-old sister of Filippo, has now entered the Italian group on a permanent basis, the champion who on April 29 died defeated by an osteosarcoma in the right leg at the end of a battle that lasted just over a year. “The first period after his death – says Elisa moved – I could feel him close, I had this perception. Now with the passage of time it is more complicated. But I think it is normal”. However, every time she sets foot in the national team meeting, the 23-year-old has guardian angels who accompany her in this experience. “Marco, Luca and Andrea (Gentili, Rambaldi and Panizza, Filippo’s boat mates, ed) are the first who come to greet me when I arrive and at the end of the working days they do not leave before saying goodbye. They call me ‘little sister’. “

Ski first

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Already last season Elisa had entered the senior group by participating in the European Championships in Varese and closing the single in 14th place. “It was a good experience. Now I am focused on these rallies. I will try to do my best to deserve these calls. Certainly on couple boats and not at the top. Like Filippo.” The Mondelli family on Lake Como has always been involved in rowing. “Dad, mom, my uncles paddled. Grandfather was president of Canottieri Cernobbio. In short, everyone tried for good or bad. Even if Filippo and I had another passion before rowing: skiing. As children they took us to Santa Caterina Valfurva skiing. We also did some races but then the call of the lake absorbed us and in 2009 I started rowing “.

Degree

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Between one training session and another in view of the first seasonal appointment – the D’Aloja Memorial from 8 to 10 April in Piediluco – Elisa Mondelli does not lose sight of her university commitment. “I hope in the future to join a military corps (at the moment Elisa is registered with Canottieri Moltrasio, ed). In the meantime, I am enrolled in the 3rd year of Motor Sciences “. Three years is a long time but in the growth of the entire blue women’s sector, Elisa will try to fit in to get where Filippo failed, at the Olympics.” Paris is far away, I don’t want to think about it . But when you get to be part of the blue group of any sport it is normal for you to move the horizon to big events. In the meantime, we are starting to do well this season with the various tests we have (in addition to the World Championships in Racice, blue in the water for the European Championships in Monaco. Then in the future who knows “.