Written by Chiara Laurenzi
Translated by Francesco Carboni
Vincenzo strikes me immediately. He is humble, and he tells his story in a very simple way. He is from Naples and he was born in 1988. He is already classified to RIO 2016 Paralympics, even though he doesn’t feel well to be too confident: “it’s better to be a little superstitious, you never know…”
How did swimming come into your life?
I started swimming when I was six years old, thanks to a therapy recommended by the doctor, and it slowly fascinated me more and more. Then when I was sixteen years old, I gave up .. and a few years ago I decided to start over, being more competitive. I luckily found my present sport society. I joined the Caravaggio Sporting Village, a center affiliated to the Italian Paralympic Committee. This happened in 2014, and from there on I begun a new journey in the competitive swimming. Of course they had seen some qualities in me, and when the first opportunity to try to win the Italian championship, we take the opportunity and I got it! I won my first bronze medal, and I take new strength and motivation from it. The following year I started to face performance sport in a wider way. I have joined the national team as well. In February 2015, I obtained the world record in the 200 backstroke in Berlin, which led me straight to Glasgow world championship in July, from where I brought back home a silver and two bronzes medals.
What did it mean for you to get to the Italian National team? How do you feel now?
Being part of the national team is a great achievement for sure, a great satisfaction. I remember the day the complete equipment arrived at home, with the headset with my name written on it… I still could not believe it! To be part of made me feel even more responsibility when I was into the swimming pool, and I started to give all my best.
I have to say that the most difficult part was not getting into the Italian National Team, but convincing the coach I could do it! There is a staff working for me and to me. All of them, from my coach, my physiotherapist, my kinesiologist, to the club, are doing all the best to be sure I will bring good results. All I have to do is the “dirty” job, that is swimming!
Which is your perspective looking at the Paralympics games?
I look at them with the eyes of a child receiving a gift he didn’t expect. He would open his eyes and hold his breath, wondering if it is really for him! Still I do not understand well what I am going to face. It ‘something that I have always hoped, and now it’s hard to believe I will really get there in few months!
How do you feel when you are swimming? What does to be in the water mean for you? Do you feel you are the lord of the water or is it driving you instead when you swim?
I have been always charmed from water world. That is why I have chosen to swim. I always have struggled with my limits, just as many of my colleagues do.
And when you reach your goal how do you feel?
During a race, the adrenaline is at a very high level. When you reach the end and you watch your time you feel good twice. Because you reached a good result and because you have been paid off for your sacrifices
What do the sacrifice, the engagement, the concentration and the effort mean for you?
Especially… life! the sports at competitive level makes you feel alive, and do not make you feel the difference between you and that so-called normal person. Not by chance is called Paralympic where the “p” stands for parallel to the “able” people’s world.
So…not only physical but also mental effort, in swimming…
It all starts from the mind: if you want to begin with a Paralympic sport, all start from the mind. I think about families who are ashamed of having a disabled child, most likely hiding him from the society, not understanding that the sport can be a liberation and a salvation. If you are unable to overcome this obstacle, you risk to be disabled in the mind, rather than physically. To overcome this attitude is up to us, the disabled people.
How do you see your future? Which are your ambitions?
I don’t know how my future will be…in this moment I am focused only on swimming! It is a job, and so I want to go ahead, overcoming my limits, just as the opponents, and prove to be a person who has set out to be one of the greatest! It will be tough, because the Paralympic world is full of talent, but I will try to be one of those!
and then good luck,Vincè !
Thanks.