The Italian ring school never betrays and is confirmed at the highest international level thanks to a the brimming double of Marco Lodadio and Salvatore Maresca in the World Cup 2021 for artistic gymnastics: silver and bronze at the castle, for a double blue party at the end of a legendary day which had already given the title to the free body of Nicola Bartolini and the silver to the vault of Asia D’Amato. If the first two laurels of this irreplaceable October 23 represent gods unique and the first times at the historical level, we cannot say the same of the success at the castle: historically it is our flagship tool and we have already seen two standard bearers with the world championship medal around their necks in the same edition (in Anaheim 2003, for example, Matteo Morandi and Andrea Coppolino share the third step of the podium).

The story of Marco Lodadio is really amazing (even though the previous ones flock to the magnesium dust universe): he was excluded from the final for only 66 thousandths, but the Chinese Zhang Boheng (yesterday winner of the all-around competition) decides to withdraw from the final act on the rings and the Roman therefore has the right to return to the podium. The blue even has the advantage of being the last, achieves one of the best exercises of the last two years and wins a sacred place of honor. The 29-year-old has now established a second home on the podium steps at the world championships: in 2018 he was third, in 2019 he won silver and today he has been replicated. He did it after the disappointment of having missed the final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (blurred by hundredths) and after the painful shoulder operation which forced him to a decidedly complex recovery.

The knight of the castle obtains an important 14 866 (6.3 the starting note) thanks to a decidedly solid performance on the strength positions, convincing in the crossings and in the impulses, fluid over the entire duration (pity for a very slight burr at the exit). Marco Lodadio is ahead of his teammate by just 33 thousandths. Salvatore Maresca, climbed second on the tool, rumbles with a peremptory 14,833 (6.2 D score) and in the first appearance at the World Championships, he immediately hits the mark, as he did six months ago at the Europeans (also third on this occasion).

The 28-year-old Campanian has shown that he has an incredible international caliber, he found himself catapulted into this reality (with merit) not very young at the sporting level and yet he always brought high level opponents to their knees in a 2021 to frame. These results reward the renamed Thor for the many sacrifices made during a life of no shortage of personal difficulties, denying bad paths and always remaining firmly planted on the ground with the dream of letting his gymnastics speak. He couldn’t really do better than that.

The Azzurri had only to bow to the big favorite of the day before. Chinese Lan Xingyu objectively demonstrated superior technical caliber and earned his first career gold medal (15,200, 6.4 difficulties). Russian Grigorii Klimentev shares bronze with Maresca (same overall score and identical D score). Fifth the Austrian Vinzenz Hoeck (14,733), sixth the Turkish Ibrahim Colak (14,666), who thus had to abandon the scepter he had won two years ago.

Photo credit: Simone Ferraro / FGI