Giorgia Villa was originally named to the Italian Olympic Team but an injury forced her to withdraw. The 18 year old injured her foot on flo...
Giorgia Villa was originally named to the Italian Olympic Team but an injury forced her to withdraw.
The 18 year old injured her foot on floor exercise during the all around competition of the National championships just two weeks before the Olympic Games.
Many gymnastics fans blamed national head coach Enrico Casella for Giorgia’s injury, criticizing him for having the Olympic team compete shortly before the Games.
In a recent interview, Giorgia defended Casella.
“It happens. It's not because of the competition that it happened. It could have happened to me in training, or in warm up at the Ariake Gymnastics center,” Giorgia said.
“All the useless criticism that I've read against Enrico Casella or the Federation doesn't make sense. The Assoluti were fixed for that week as a pre-Olympic test, it was right to take place there and it went badly for me.”
“Now I'm at the sea in Tuscany and I'm recovering from problems both with my foot and back. I'm doing some physical training, without equipment, just to keep in shape.”
The Italian gymnast’s teammate Vanessa Ferrari qualified in first place for the Olympic floor exercise final, which will be held next Monday.
She believes that Ferrari deserves to win the gold medal.
“Vanessa has one more chance. In my opinion, for what has passed in the last nine years, she should win gold.”
“For two quads in a row, she came fourth and now she's trying again. I talk with Vany all the time.”
“She is calm, she doesn't need advice, in fact we learn a lot from her. She told me that she is well.”
“She is an awesome acrobat at thirty years old and has a beautiful artistic side, with that breathtaking music. Her routine is in perfect balance.”
Ferrari, who is currently competing at her fourth Olympic Games, finished in fourth place on floor exercise at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics.
If she makes the podium on Monday, she will be the first female Italian gymnast to win an Olympic medal.
Written by Gigi Farid
Photo by Ginnastica Artistica Italiana
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