The tub disappoints, the platform does not betray. This is the synthesis of the second Olympic day of the Italian expedition, after the unexpected boom of 5 medals won in the first 24 hours in London. Only two have arrived today (much more realistic average and suited to our abilities and ambitions), and none of gold. One of the two, and it is the fourth in total out of six available in these Games, once again came from the fencing platform: Valerio Occhiuzzi is silver in the sabre, after having eliminated his teammate and Olympian from Athens 2004. The Neapolitan lost only in the final to the very favorite Hungarian Szilagyi with a score of 8-15. For fencing, excellence of the five-circle blue tradition, it is the 120th medal counting all the summer editions of the modern Olympics.
The other medal comes from judo, with the 26-year-old Rosalba Forciniti from Calabria in bronze in the -52 kg category, while the big disappointments came from the pools at the Aquatic Center in London. Italy is still without medals, but while that was to be expected on Saturday, today the blue team was probably playing some of its best shots. The world and Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini finished only fifth in the final of the 400m freestyle dominated by the French Muffat. The distance is not the favorite of the Venetian champion (she has never won at the Olympics and suffered several times psychological crises on the eve of or during this race), but the disappointing result does not bode well even for the 200 meters, where instead Federica she's still the athlete to beat even though she looks tired and unmotivated. To such a point, perhaps thanks to the disappointment for the bad race, she declared to the television microphones immediately after the negative performance: "Now a year off, then we'll see".
Disappointments also from Fabio Scozzoli in the 100m breaststroke and the 4×100m relay, both seventh, while in the synchronized diving the couple Tania Cagnotto-Francesca Dellapè throws away a possible bronze medal by missing the last dive. In the end he finished fourth, even if amidst some controversy due to an alleged error of judgment in favor of the Canadian couple, who later finished third.
As for team sports, a chiaroscuro debut for the water polo and volleyball national teams. The Settebello has authoritatively surpassed Australia, while Berruto's boys lost against Poland coached by ex coach Anastasi. The first great shock of this Olympics comes from the football tournament, which sees Italy absent: the highly favored Spain, already clamorously defeated by Japan in their debut, made an encore by also being overtaken by Honduras. Milla's men are out of… Games.
