Paralympic, Athletics, record-breaking Zeni with the Paralympic dream

Italian athletics does not stop and continues to amaze. In fact, the World Championships for athletes with Down syndrome were held in Nymburk, in the Czech Republic, where the Azzurri did not discount by filling up on medals. The undisputed star of the event was Chiara Zeni, who won five golds and set two world records. Chiara, eighteen years old next August 30, dominated the event, setting the world record in the 100 meters (15 “25), in the long jump (3.73 m) and winning the gold medal in the 200 meters. and in the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. He is enthusiastic: “It was great! Something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time, especially in the long jump. While the record of 100 I had already improved a couple of times in the last few weeks (the last time in Molfetta, ed), I knew I had the long jump record in my legs, but I was never able to do what I was doing in the race. in training. In the Czech Republic it is as if I had unblocked myself and made 3 world record jumps. ”

Blue by choice

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Chiara was born in Lugano, but alternates between Switzerland and Italy, also having a double passport. She attends the Italian school and is a member of FISDIR (Italian Paralympic Sports Federation of Relational Intellectuals) with Osha Como. Despite his dual nationality, he chose to compete for Italy: “In Switzerland, there is no category for Down syndrome in sport and therefore there is no possibility of doing sport at a competitive level. In Italy this possibility exists. for many years and therefore they welcomed me with open arms “. Wearing the blue jersey is a source of pride for her: “When I wear the blue jersey I am happy and proud. It is wonderful to compete with my team mates in the national team who are now also my dear friends.” Chiara excelled, as well as on an individual level, also in the relay races, showing a strong empathy with her teammates: “We are always together in every away match of the national team. We have known each other for years and have fun, chat, support each other and have become friends. . This is certainly our strength and the results we do demonstrate it. ”

Inclusiveness

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For Chiara’s parents, Roberto and Katharina, the Italian school is truly inclusive: “Chiara lives in both countries and has both nationalities. In sport she has always been included with able-bodied children: she has trained and has always competed with them. Unfortunately, in Switzerland there is still no inclusion in school (there is still the Special School for people with disabilities, ed.) So in order to be included also at school level she had to go to Italy from the first grade. the strength of the Italian School is that they make you experience inclusion and make you feel part of the class and of society “. She is a passionate Juventus fan, like her father, and when she sets a new record she lets herself be immortalized by replicating the exultation of Paulo Dybala: “I have always been a Juventus player. Dybala has always been one of my favorite players. His gesture of exultation then I like it a lot and I started doing it years ago, at the beginning without even realizing it “.

Olympic dreams

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In a video interview on Fisdir’s facebook page, she surpassed two million views: “I am very happy, even if I don’t quite understand what such a large number means. I hope my and my companions’ popularity helps. athletes with Down syndrome to reach the Paralympics: it would be fantastic already in Paris in 2024! “. In this regard, Chiara’s thought is precisely to bring all athletes with Down syndrome back to the Paralympics: “I think the time has come. If in the past someone did not behave well and they excluded athletes with mental disabilities from the Paralympics , I don’t see why we athletes with Down syndrome have to suffer the consequences even today (the reference is to the Spanish national basketball team which, in Sydney 2000, fielded able-bodied people, self-certifying their disability. This behavior was told by a journalist and for 2 editions of the Games the intellectually disabled were excluded, only to be gradually readmitted to London 2012 in a few disciplines, ed.) Our category of Down syndrome is well defined, easily verifiable from a medical point of view, and therefore I think it is discrimination does not allow us to participate in the Paralympics “.