Stefania Buttignon, a Naval Engineering student at the University of Trieste, is among the Italian athletes who will participate in the Paris Olympics, which start today until 11th August. 

Originally from Monfalcone and a rower for the Italian Police team, the UniTS student is part of Italremo, the Italian national rowing team that will compete in the waters of Vaires-sur-Marne in this extraordinary sporting adventure.

The opening ceremony of this edition will be revolutionary compared to past editions and will not take place inside a stadium but will be a long parade through the most striking and monumental places of the French capital. ‘I am already feeling so emotional,’ Stefania confesses, ‘and I can't wait to take part in this historic parade. Witnessing the lighting of the Olympic flame live is the moment that every athlete dreams of experiencing'.

However, she will miss the Olympic Village experience: ‘Unfortunately, the regatta course is about an hour away, so the Italian Rowing Federation has chosen to have us stay in a facility close to the competition waters. But I definitely want to visit the village a couple of times, to see the cohabitation of athletes from all over the world, to meet my sporting idols, to experience at least a little bit of that incredible atmosphere'.

In the course of her career, the Monfalcone athlete has won several Italian titles, but in her record of achievements shine the victory at the under-23 World Championships (2018) in the lightweight doubles, together with Silvia Crosio, and a bronze medal at the European Championships (2019) with Stefania Gobbi, in the same specialty.

Despite having qualified already in the last Olympics, Buttignon had not participated in the Azzurri's Tokyo expedition. She again obtained the ‘pass’ in the senior women's doubles (despite being a lightweight) together with Stefania Gobbi, but the technical choice of the selector rewarded another crew of the same level. Stefania Buttignon will therefore be on reserve for the senior women's double, ready to take over if necessary, both as bowwoman, a role in which she has established herself, and as rowing leader, a role in which she trained as a girl.

But how do you experience the event from the ‘bench’? ‘As a reserve,' Buttignon explains, ’I am giving my all in training: mentally I feel less pressure and I have to contribute to the group by supporting my teammates, of whom I am the first supporter. I also have to keep my concentration high, as is required of high-level athletes, because in case I am called upon to compete I have to be ready. I have great enthusiasm; I will definitely do a great race’.

She exudes a great determination, carved out over many years of sacrifices to reconcile life as an athlete and as a student: ‘Even as a child I got up at 5 in the morning to train or to study. I would train twice a day and in between I would go to school and read books. Even at university, the rhythm has remained this way: it has allowed me to build a forma mentis, to be focused on the ‘here and now’ necessary to do things at my best'.

Participation in the XXXIII Olympics represents for the rower from Monfalcone the point of arrival of a long journey, but also the moment from which future prospects and resolutions start. ‘My career will continue,’ says the UniTS student, ’I would like to aim for the 2028 Los Angeles Games and get there as a starter. But after Paris I also want to get back to focusing on my studies, which I had to put on hold for a while to pursue the Olympic dream: the goal is to finish my final year and get a degree in Naval Engineering, in the future I would like to apply this training to the field of racing boats’.