The blue fight against sclerosis: “Every now and then I have to reset.” In dressage there is a symbiotic relationship with the horse, Royal Delight. Theirs has always been a delightful combination
Pwe have been art since those days. Otherwise you will not come to understand the magnitude of what Sara did in Tokyo. It was between Christmas and New Year’s in 1995: «A party I’ve always loved». He was 19. On 23 December she had been discharged from the hospital, where some tests had been carried out: “But there were few doubts.” The final diagnosis in January: “Multiple sclerosis. I began to imagine a dark future, they were difficult days ». But there was a love for horses that he knew how to go further. Since he was 13, his days passed between his studio and stables. No more jumps and cross country: «I continued to ride, but just for pleasure, I didn’t know there were Paralympic competitions».
He discovered it only in 2005. Fortunately for him and for the Italian national team. Sara Morganti, Tuscany of Castelnuovo Garfagnana, in the province of Lucca, has become the best blue ever and among the top in the world. The confirmation came at the Paralympics with one historic bronze medal for blue horse riding in the Dressage Grade 1 Individual Test. At the Paralympics she is the first in this discipline.
Even in the Paralympic world there are not many athletes with multiple sclerosis: «Mine has not stabilized and continues to go its own way. There are days that I have to reset, but I start again, I don’t give up“. His is one of the best signs for those who discover the disease, young and not so young: “That’s what I want to give, a positive message, because the risk of seeing everything black and letting go is strong.” It happened to her too, but she was able to overcome it.
His family is nearby. Not just them. During the days in the stables, here is the love of life: «Stefano, we were teenagers and we never left each other, we are celebrating 23 years of marriage». They are together in Tokyo, sharing an immense joy. Not only with him. In dressage there is a symbiotic relationship with the horse, Royal Delight. Theirs has always been a delightful combination. Winning together also has the flavor of redemption.
Sara is at the top of world equitation: world and European champion, he had only touched the podium in London 2012 with a fourth place. He wanted to make up for it in Rio. He was the athlete to beat. A few hours before the race she was banned from participating due to a suspected Royal Delight lameness: “It was difficult to accept.” Also because it was an unfair decision: there was no revision and in a few minutes everything was in order: «An immense disappointment. I still feel it. I wanted to quit. But I thought: I have overcome greater obstacles. That unjust decision became a great motivation ».
Today he is back in competition with Carola Semperboni for the team competition. Graduated with honors in Languages, she does not limit her sporting goals: «After the Tokyo Games, there is the World Cup in 2022». And maybe think of Paris 2024, a Paralympics not so far away. Struggling every day with that dark and hard evil, which does not give up. By showing that yes, it can be done.
August 27, 2021 (change August 27, 2021 | 23:52)
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