ROME -- After two weeks of sporting action, the curtain came down on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in a show of megastar performances, pyrotechnics, and Tom Cruise hurling himself off the roof of the Stade de France. But the games were anything but mission impossible for Italy, whose athletes will leave the French capital full of joie de vivre.  

 On Sunday, the Azzurri ended the games in ninth place, sweeping up 12 golds and 40 medals in total. It matches the overall medal tally from Tokyo 2020 and surpasses the number of golds, making it Italy’s highest gold medal haul since 2000 and just two behind the 1984 record of 14.

 Paris 2024 brought Italy plenty of Azzurri successes and hope for the future, albeit with disappointment in some fields and controversy.

 Italy’s Medal Triumphs Make a Splash

 In what now seems like an age ago, Italy’s first golden moment arrived at the La Défense Arena in a breathtaking men’s 100 metres breaststroke final. Much of the pre-race conversation had focused on Team GB’s Adam Peaty, looking to repeat to win his third successive gold in the event, and China’s Qin Haiyang. But the former European and World Champion used that to his advantage to steal the show. In the end, Nicolò Martinenghi won by 0.02 seconds, claiming Italy’s first gold medal of the games.

 Gregorio Paltrinieri, one of Italy’s flagbearers at the closing ceremony, also saw his stocks rise. After claiming bronze in the men’s 800 metres freestyle, the Italian went one better to win silver in the 1500 metres final. Paltrinieri now has the complete medal collection after his gold from Rio 2016 and became the first Italian swimmer in history to win five Olympic medals.

 36 kilometres outside of Paris, there was further success in the canoe slalom, as Giovanni De Gennaro’s flawless performance saw him take top spot on the podium. There were further golds for Marta Maggetti in the women’s windsurfing and for Caterina Banti and Ruggero Tita in the Mixed Multihull.

 Italy Big Hitters at Roland Garros

 Before the games got underway in Paris, Italian fans may have been cautiously optimistic of getting gold in the tennis. But much of that focus was on Jannick Sinner, the world No. 1, who had to withdraw from the Olympics tournament after becoming ill with tonsillitis. Italy’s hopes in the tennis, however, would not go unanswered elsewhere.

 After a career that had previously failed to reach dizzying heights, Jasmine Paolini is now one of the greatest forces in the women’s game. The Tuscan came into the Olympics with a career-high ranking of fifth off the back of a sensational year, having already reached the singles finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. Paolini was back on clay court here and cemented her reputation with gold at Roland Garros, alongside Sara Errani, in the women’s doubles final.

 Errani had only asked Paolini about pairing up a year ago, but this Italian pairing became a formidable force. Having only dropped one set before the final, the opening exchanges of the doubles final saw the Azzurre lose the first set 6-2, with questions over Errani’s fitness and the fear of Paolini repeating her unwanted trick of 2024 and losing in another final. But the pair played fearlessly to win the second set 6-1 and snatched gold with a thrilling 10-7 tie-break win in the third and final set.

 Lorenzo Musetti also gave Italy cause for celebration with a bronze medal in the men’s singles, winning Italy’s first medal in the men’s event since Uberto De Morpurgo in 1924.

 Italian Volleyball Makes History: But Will Egonu Finally Get The Recognition?

 It was fitting that Italy’s Olympics campaign came to an end with gold on Sunday, won by the women’s volleyball team for the first time in their history. After the disappointment of Tokyo 2020, losing to Serbia in the quarter-finals, Julio Velasco has engineered a remarkable transformation which fired the Azzurri to success.

 The leading light for the Argentine coach was, of course, Paola Egonu. In Paris, was there anything she could not do? There was a moment in Italy’s preliminary round match against Turkey which, in hindsight, set the tone for her tournament. Having smashed a serve home on match point, Egonu was mobbed by her teammates but stayed rooted to the spot. There was something understated in Egonu’s celebration: a pumped fist and shrug of the shoulders, a steely look that had shades of Jude Bellingham – ‘Who else?’ Egonu owned this tournament, being named the Best Player and Best Opposite Hitter, and now has a gold medal to go alongside.

 The Italian proved she is at the peak of her powers and a gold medal will give her the recognition she has always deserved. Egonu has long been one of Italy’s leading volleyball talents, setting Serie A records for the most points in a match in 2015/16. Her trophy cabinet is laden with silverware and her success at Imoco Volley defined her career, winning two league titles, the CEV Champions League, two Coppa Italias, two Italian Super Cups, and the Club World Championship. Playing in Turkey with VafikBank refined her game even further.

 But Egonu has always found recognition in Italy hard to come by, with her sporting triumphs marred by scrutiny of her Afro-Italian heritage and pansexuality. In 2018, Egonu was attacked by Italian media after being captured kissing her girlfriend and in 2022, following a spate of racist abuse, she stepped away from the Italian national team. The fact she even considered a return is testament to her bravery and strength of character.

 Gold for Italy’s volleyball team was not all Egonu’s making: Myriam Sylla, Sarah Fahr, and Ekaterina Antrapova all had standout performances. This team made history and Velasco avenged the loss of his Italian men’s volleyball side in the final in Atlanta 1996. But for Egonu, a generational talent, gold in Paris cements her volleyball legacy.

 Italy’s Athletics Success Stopped In Its Tracks

 Not everything at the games, however, will be looked back upon through medal-tinted glasses. In the athletics, Italians came into the games hoping to retain three Olympic crowns: Marcell Jacobs in the men’s 100 metres, Gianmarco Tamberi in the high jump, and the men’s 4x100 metres relay team. Those hopes fell flat on all three occasions.

 Jacobs did record his season best in the 100 metres, and his time of 9.85 seconds was just 0.06 seconds behind the American phenomenon Noah Lyles. But 0.06 seconds behind the USA gold medallist was substantial enough to see the Jacobs finish in fifth place, unable to defend his crown.

 The Italian was also narrowly pipped to a medal position, along with Lorenzo Patta, Filippo Tortu, and Matteo Melluzzo, in the men’s 4x100 metres relay final. The team had initially scraped through thanks to a repechage from their semi-final heat but finished fourth in the final behind Canada in top spot.

 For Tamberi, Paris will be an Olympics to forget. The Italian was hospitalised twice because of kidney problems and faced a race against time to even compete, but somehow made it onto the track at the Stade de France. After three errors, he finished disappointingly with a height of 2.27 metres, which saw him rank eleventh. Tamberi’s commitment was heroic but his performances were not enough.

 Carini and Controversy

 The Paris Olympics was also not without contention, causing controversy and dividing opinion in Italy.

 Italy’s men’s water polo team were eliminated on penalties 12-10 by Hungary after a match that finished 9-9, but contentious refereeing decisions made sporting waves. With Hungary leading 3-2, the Azzurri looked for a quick response and seemingly found one with Francesco Condemi’s strike to level the score at 3-3. But the goal was reviewed by the referee and Condemi was adjudged to have unfairly struck the face of the Hungarian defender, a follow through from the throw, despite contact being minimal. Condemi was sent off and Italy reduced to 12 men.

 Sandro Campagna’s team did well to recover from a 7-5 deficit and led 9-8 with seconds to go, only for Hungary to level. Italy then lost the game 12-10 on penalties.

 The Azzurri took on Spain in the 5 to 8 classification, determining the rankings of the teams eliminated from the quarter-finals, and decided to protest against the refereeing decisions from the previous game. The Italian team all turned away during the national anthems and started the match with 12 players, one less than the usual 13, in remonstration. Italy lost against Spain but beat Australia 10-6 to finish seventh. Italy’s protests may have landed the Azzurri in hot water, with World Aquatics opening an investigation into Italy’s unsporting behaviour.

 While complaints from Italy’s water polo team are not entirely unfounded, that was not the case for Angela Carini in boxing, who abandoned her fight with Imane Khelif after just 46 seconds. The Italian refused to shake her opponent’s hand and suggested she had withdrawn after being injured.

 Carini’s abandonment drew criticism in Italy and across the political world that Khelif was allowed to compete in a toxic row over gender requirements. Italy’s President, Giorgia Meloni, escalated the row to suggest Khelif’s inclusion was discriminating against women – despite Khelif also being a woman.

 Carini’s fight caused furore in Italy but Meloni and co were eventually left with egg on their faces: Carini apologised to Khelif and said her abandonment had nothing to do with the Algerian’s inclusion, and Khelif eventually went on to win gold in the 66kg category.

 Italy’s Bright Future – Can The Azzurri Go Further In 2028?

 The resounding stories, however, are those of Italian triumphs in Paris and there should be optimism that success can be sustainable.

 Many Italian medal winners could realistically compete in Los Angeles in 2028. Alice D’Amato, 21, won gold in the balance beam final and her bronze medal compatriot, Manila Esposito, is only 17. Mattia Furlani, 19, is already a bronze medallist in the long jump, as is Sofia Raffaeli, 20, in the women’s rhythmic gymnastics.

 Elsewhere, Nadia Battocletti nearly left the games with two medals – she was awarded bronze in the women’s 5000 metres with Faith Kipyegon disqualified, only for that to be overturned – but she did finish second in the women’s 10,000 metres final. That made her the first European athlete to finish on the women’s podium in the event in 24 years, and she’ll be hoping to go one better in LA.

 One of Italy’s best sporting stories, however, is Alice Bellandi, the 25-year-old Brescian who won gold in the women’s 78kg judo final. Bellandi has previously opened up about struggling with depression and bulimia and is one of Italy’s few LGBTQ+ athletes. She celebrated her gold by kissing her partner Jasmine in the crowd, an image that will inspire many in Italy’s LGBTQ+ community.

 Italy has already proven its growing commitment to the Olympics, taking a record 405 athletes to Paris, with the hope that will continue in 2028. There will be further Italian interest in the Paralympics to come, and the exciting chance for Italy to play host at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Paris Olympics have certainly underlined Italy’s potential to be a sporting power in the years to come.

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