The fire that burned after the defeat of theItaly in the semifinal of Women’s Volleyball World Cup exploded sensationally at the end of final for third place, won by the Mazzanti girls over the United States by three sets to nil. A heavy bronze medal, of those that should only make us happy, and instead we are here to comment on a suffering page of Italian sport, because hearing these words from a 23-year-old girl who in recent years has given everything for the blue colors hurts, too bad.
With Paola Egonu on the field, the relentless hammer the whole world envies us, Italy won the European Championship last year, the Nations League three months ago and world bronze now, failing at the Tokyo Olympics. Yesterday’s explosion captured by cameras explains how much pressure devoured this Venetian girl’s fragile heart and how unworthy words and behavior can make their stab wounds. When you win, all is well, but when Italy lose it’s Egonu who loses to the haters who target her, using expressions that the outburst directed at her lawyer on the sideline suggests what type they are. Hatefully racist.
“You cannot understand, you cannot understand. I am tired. They also asked me if I was Italian. This is my last game in the selection“, Paola muttered in tears. An overflow of feelings that Egonu then partially corrected, explaining that this is just a break to recharge the batteries, before returning next year – perhaps with a new coach in place of the shaky Mazzanti – to wear the blue jersey. “We will see next summer, I hope to reconsider because we still have a lot to do with this selection. I’ll let you know in January“, says after the game.
Then he clarifies even better who his words were intended for.: “It makes me laugh to think about the people who ask me why I’m Italian, I wonder why with the national team shirt I have to represent these people who write these things for me – he tells the Republic – I put my heart and soul into it, I never disrespect anyone and it hurts“.
Paola is tired – physically, but above all mentally – after practically never having unplugged it even in the summer, now for her there is immediately the new adventure in Turkey with the VakıfBank shirt in Istanbul: “That’s why I’d like to take a break to rest. I wish it wasn’t goodbye, I hope it’s understood. It wouldn’t be a form of disrespect, but a way to give myself a break and get back to doing my best on the pitch. Some say I don’t deserve the selection but my dream is to be on the podium with this team“.
The Conegliano gunner’s words cut straight to the heart like blades: “Am I a symbol? But when this symbol doesn’t fit, it’s the first one that is attacked. I’m a human person who needs to recover mentally from time to time because it’s hard. It wasn’t easy to take the field, he played the anthem and I cried, because of the pain, but also because of how hurt I am. It’s something that can’t be shared, only the fourteen of us know how much we’ve given on the field, the rest of the world will never know.“.
In recent days it has been said of a divided locker room (“we don’t hide behind a finger, there have always been problems. They must be overcome with common sense, but above all they must be improved with dialogue, it takes a lot of patience.“, said Federal President Manfredi yesterday), of an untouchable status of Egonu that would not have made everyone happy, but Paola makes absolutely no mention of anything similar, quite the contrary: “I am very proud because my teammates are there, without them I would be nobody. I am grateful to have them, who support me and understand that such a young girl, a child, can have my moments when she falls.“.
The champion’s pride is always present, when asked if something should have changed on the blue expedition to the World Cup: “Absolutely nothing – he answers – I’m proud of the group and I’m proud of myself, how we gave 100%. Even if not. If I dream of the Paris 2024 Olympics? Absolutely not. I dream of going home and spending time with the people I care about“. The night brings dark thoughts, there is a need for home, family, love. The rest will come back, the blue colors need Paola Egonu: an Italian excellence.
Source: Fan Page IT
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
