Your first Olympics – London 2012. Gold, with world record of 75 in qualifying and a world record of 99 in the final. At the age of 20. You certainly set a high bar for your subsequent career. Has that ever been problematic, or only inspirational?
I arrived in London 2012 almost unaware. Everything was new to me, and I remember very well that my attitude was to have fun. The competition was important, but I was firmly determined to enjoy everything as much as possible. The victory was just the seal on what I consider one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.
Undoubtedly, the Olympic gold at 20 weighed heavily, but I never considered it a limitation. It's a part of me, my journey, and my career as a shooter. After many competitions where I achieved many important results, I still have a great desire to step onto the shooting range and have fun with what makes me happiest: my sport.
You were close to a return to the Olympic podium at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games. Do you believe you can get back there at the Paris 2024 Games?
At the Rio de Janeiro Olympics I arrived as the reigning Olympic champion, and at Tokyo, with the responsibility of being chosen as the flag bearer for the Italian team. Let's say these were two very challenging editions. In Paris I arrive with the awareness of having done everything possible to be in top form and to make my mark. I'm ready to compete with renewed determination and, above all, with a great desire to have fun.
You began the year with World Cup victory in Rabat. How do you feel your form is now and what are your hopes for Paris 2024 and plans for this season?
As I said, I am satisfied with the preparation work. My goal, like everyone else’s, is to win.
You spoke in ISSF TV’s Road to Paris 2024 series about how Rio 2016 was the most difficult moment of your career. Can you speak about why, and what you took from it?
The gold medal in London brought immense joy but also a lot of "weight": responsibilities, expectations, and a lot of emotional burden. The experience of Rio 2016 taught me an important lesson. It doesn’t matter what you have done or who you were in the past. To achieve results, what matters is what you do at the moment of the competition. Every event is important and must be approached with maximum respect, commitment, and dedication. Only with this approach can dreams be realised.
Can you also speak about your feelings in the empty Tokyo 2020 stadium as flag-bearer for your country during the time of COVID? How did that honour compare with Olympic gold?
Being the Italian flag bearer in Tokyo was a great honour, reserved only for the best athletes of each country. We all came from the horrible COVID period, and each athlete competing in the Olympics carried a heavy burden of fears, pains, and anxieties for the future. Entering the Olympic Stadium with the Italian flag was a great emotion, even if the stadium was empty. We were there to give our best. It was an important signal of restarting for the whole world. The competition did not go as I had hoped, but even this experience was precious.
You have an Olympic gold and nine world golds, including three individual victories – and you are still only 32. How long do you believe you can remain at the top of your sport?
I will do it as long as I continue to have fun. When I started, I didn't think about the medals but only about enjoying the emotions that this sport gave me. It's the same spirit I have today and that I hope will accompany me for a long time.
Shooting sport offers elite opportunities for 15-year-olds and 50-year-olds. How fortunate do you feel about the fact that your talent lies here?
It’s a challenge with oneself that renews at every occasion. This has no age, and it’s wonderful to be able to compete with opponents with stories and backgrounds different from your own. There are those who approach competitions with the enthusiasm of youth and those who do so with the experience of maturity.
Who or what was your Olympic inspiration in shooting and/or other sports?
I have many sporting idols, but I don't like to name names. Certainly, my greatest inspiration comes from all the women who have managed to reconcile sport with life.
What started you in shooting and what is most satisfying about it?
I started practising shotgun because my father Ivan practised it, and I was curious. The greatest satisfaction is to continue having fun while doing it.
How helpful to your career has it been that your father Ivan competed for Italy?
Apart from the fact that he introduced me to this sport, he had no other influence on my career.