The former Formula 1 driver, Olympic gold and silver in London and Rio in various handbike specialties, accompanied by five award-winning athletes of the Italian para-cycling national team (Fabio Triboli, Michele Pittacolo, Vittorio Podestà, Luca Mazzone and Francesca Porcellato) and by Mario Valentini team coach, was a guest yesterday morning of the “Ariete” brigade command, at the “Mittica” barracks in Pordenone. The event was organized in order to raise awareness among unit commanders on the issue of leadership.
Zanardi and the other Paralympic athletes, prompted by the numerous questions and curiosities, brought their experiences and testimonies, telling, also through significant anecdotes, how the sporting enterprise is an extraordinary tool to overcome adversity and reach even high goals.
At the opening of the meeting, the commander of the brigade Ariete, Brigadier General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, intervening in video-connection from Civitavecchia (Rome) where he is for the exercise "Iron Armor", thanked the guests for their presence, emphasizing the importance of their testimonies for the character formation of the commanders. Young people have a particular need to have reference points and in this context these great athletes represent for various aspects positive models to follow and emulate.
Zanardi and the athletes of the Paralympic national team, in the coming days, will be involved in the paracycling world championship that will take place in Maniago over the weekend. The "Ariete" will be present at the event with promotional and logistic assets of the 132nd artillery regiment and the Ariete logistic regiment.
