Sport Festival: the grand finale with Bebe Vio and Castrogiovanni

From our correspondent Michela Cuppini

September 25th
– Trento

The fifth edition of the Sport Festival ends with a bang. In a very full Santa Chiara Auditorium, Bebe Vio and Martin Castrogiovanni interview each other and the result is a real show. Sofa, TV and pizza, the fencer and the former rugby player tell each other as if they were in their living room, with some (just a few) more spectators. “Bebe has bought herself a new house and it is as big as this theater” begins Castrogiovanni amid the laughter of the audience. “The best part for you is the sofa – says Bebe -. For me, however, it’s the cellar. The problem, however, is that I don’t have time to fill it before we empty it”.

Academy

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Images flow on the TV and we start with projects. They are films of the children of the Academy Bebe Vio, which has just turned one year old. “Before these guys were” parked “at home – says Castro -. Now they have improved a lot. I fell in love with them and I invite anyone who has time to come by. “. “I wanted a place to play sports with everyone else – explains Paralympic athletics -. In the Academy we integrate without teaching it, but simply by making it understood”. Another film, it is the turn of the Castrogiovanni Academy. “My goal – explains the former rugby player – is to make children live rugby for what it is. Today we exaggerate. We make the 14-year-olds feel like Cristiano Ronaldo. Children must be children. I want them to experience sport. as we have lived it: smelly and in the mud “. Bebe: “But in your Academy there are showers”, “Yes, but we rugby players do not wash much”. And down to laughter. Then you get serious again: “As a child I always had the dream of changing the world – says Martin -. Now that I have grown old I understand that it is late. But I hope my kids can do it”.

Advice

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We then move on to Bebe’s gold in Tokyo: “When you won the first medal you were young – says Castro -. You won the second with your head as you were ‘broken’, now you have to win the third with your pa … “. The bell rings and the pizzas brought in by Ange Capuozzo and Michele Lamaro enter. Bebe: “Martin, give advice to the new generation.” He doesn’t let himself repeat: “Don’t listen to anyone, put on that shirt and do as you please. Honor it and the results will come”. Again the bell, the sparkling wine is delivered to the two friends: “I’m old – says Martin -, Bebe is still in business, he has to play the Olympics. So let’s toast to the next Olympics”.