When did you first realise you had a real passion and talent for athletics and what were some of your earliest successes as a youngster?
It happened all of a sudden, I was 17 years old. One day while I was at school the gym teacher organized a high jump competition for the students, I won, he said I had talent, so from that day I decided to start training to try to improve myself…one year later I took the silver medal in my first international competitions .
When did you start really focusing on high jump and what made you realise that was the discipline to put all of your effort into?
From the beginning, because fortunately it immediately brought great satisfaction.
What have been some of your biggest high jump successes and where in the country and world has high jump taken you?
Last year, I jumped 2.21 in an important national meeting by winning the first place, for me that race was very important because it allowed me to get out of a bad period and find again certainties and serenity. Five days later in the international meeting of Geneva , I jumped 2.20m, with a perfect progression, in a really nice competition, in which there were some of the best jumpers in the world, unfortunately I got to the fourth place, making a mistake of just 2.24m that would give me the podium.
Also a few days later I decided to go to compete in another meeting much more difficult, although I had to start preparing the Italian championships, however I got a good result, I had a great experience and I had the opportunity to compete against several finalists and medal world championships.
Who have been your biggest supporters and mentors along the way?
At the top of the list is definitely my first coach, he taught me a lot, he loves me very much, and when he can will still see me in competitions, he has believed in me from the beginning even in bad times.
How hard are you currently training and who do you train with?
I train five or six times a week during this period, because I am preparing the season outdoors. and for a year and a few months I decided to train with Giulio Ciotti in Rimini.
What events and competitions do you have coming up in the months ahead and what goals have you set yourself?
In the coming months, I will take part in some meetings in Europe, but my main objectives are: to improve as much as possible, to reach the standard of participation in the European championships, and to take the national championships medal … very challenging targets, but I really have so much confidence in my progress and my trainer’s teachings.
