ROME -- Italy's 2024 Paralympic Games got off to a perfect start on Thursday as Carlotta Gilli's golden success capped a five-medal haul in the pool at the La Défense Arena.

 Gilli, 23, won Italy’s first gold medal on the opening day of the games, claiming the women’s 100 metres butterfly S13. The Italian took gold with a time of 1.03.27, coming in ahead of American Grace Nuhfer, who finished sixth tenths of a second behind Gilli, to defend her title from Tokyo 2020.

 “I’m so emotional, I’ve got goosebumps,” the swimmer told Rai after the race. “It’s been a lifelong dream since I was a kid. Winning is difficult but to do it again is even more difficult.”

 “We have been working for years on these races. Coming here and reaping the rewards is so good and absolutely is not taken for granted.”

 Gilli’s success in the pool was followed shortly after by Francesco Bocciardo, two-time gold medallist in Tokyo, who defended his Paralympic crown in the men’s 200 metres freestyle S5. Bocciardo had trailed Russian Kirill Pulver and Ukraine’s Oleksandr Komarov at the 100 metre mark but found a burst of pace in the final stretch to finish with a time of 2:25:99, a new Paralympic record.

 “Honestly I didn’t think I’d be able to win,” the Italian told Rai. “I knew it would have been difficult with my opponents, I put everything into it.”

 “In the last metres I almost couldn’t do it, but I didn’t want to give up. I know that speed isn’t my speciality but I managed to keep up and grow into the race, thanks to what [coaches] Marcello Rigamonti and Filippo Tassara have taught me.”

 Golden success at the La Défense Arena was preceded by Italy’s first medal of the games, won by Simone Barlaam in the 400 metres freestyle S9. Barlaam, 24, had led the race but fell just short on the final stretch, coming in two seconds behind French champion Ugo Didier.

 The Italian described it as “special” to win Italy’s first medal in front of President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, the first Italian president to come to a Paralympic Games. He also paid tribute to his opponents and French rival Didier.

 “It’s a pleasure to share the podium with champions like them and it motivates you in the water to fight against all the support [for Didier] in the arena.”

 There were further Italian triumphs in the pool as Vittoria Bianco won bronze in the women’s 400 metre freestyle S9, Francesco Bettella won bronze in the men’s 100 metre backstroke S1, and Angela Procida won bronze in the women’s equivalent.

 Although Italian team captain Efrem Morelli could not win gold in the men’s 50 metre breaststroke SB3, a silver medal was the seal on an inspiration journey which sees the 44-year-old compete in his fifth Paralympic Games. Morelli’s silver success came after disappointingly finishing fourth in the event in Tokyo and adds a medal to go alongside his bronze from Rio 2016.

 “This is completely different compared to Tokyo,” he said after the race. “As soon as I arrived I heard the fans sinking and it felt like the La Défense Arena was complete chaos.”

 “I lifted my head up and I saw the fans covered in tricolour flags. I said to myself, ‘How many fans are there?’ Going to win a medal [in that context] is even better.”

 Morelli will now prepare to compete in the mixed 4x50 metres on the 5^th September, which many consider to be his final chance at going for gold. But the Italian remained tight-lipped over whether the Paris games would be the end of his Paralympic future.

 “I’ll definitely take a break after these games but I’m not ruling out continuing another year or two. It’s obvious that four years until Los Angeles is a lot, but we’ll see.”

 bq