Federica Pellegrini goes back to the tank and does it as a drag. Competitive and amateur sport has stopped in front of the virus. From 4 May, however, there was a timid recovery, with limitations of course. Several athletes have been infected and it could not be otherwise. But the sport is stubborn, resilient.
Federica Pellegrini
Social distancing has marked us, including athletes. We do not know if everything will return exactly as before, we'll see. What we know for sure today is that she is back. Federica Pellegrini, and her beautiful costume. In water after forty-two days: reunited with its element. A liberating, regenerating dive. Federica had never been so long away from water.
Federica Pellegrini goes back to the tank
She, the blue champion, posted a video on social media that portrays her on the starting block with the coach's voice out-of-bounds asking if she is ready.
"After six weeks ... like a baby“, So the post was titled. Like a little girl.
Pellegrini as a child on the first day of swimming school, to train in the Federal Center of Verona, very ready, but in compliance with safety measures, first of all the distancing. Images that somehow regenerate us too. And, who knows, maybe it is from sport that the charge can come. To sink the fear. Some are still skeptical: now physical contact is impossible, the workouts are "solitary", full of precautions. L'anxiety hardly gives up.
Of course, it will be necessary to invent new ways of competing, at least for a while, but what must remain as it always has been is the sense of encounter, of union and community that every discipline knows how to carry with it.
Sport - Pope Francis said - has fundamental values in it.
The culture of the encounter, loyalty, respect for the opponent, are the lifeblood of the competitive world. It is good to treasure it and learn to look to tomorrow in a 'competitive' way. After all, many during the quarantine went to do it yourself work out. Compressed, but safe. But it is true that by nature we need air - and, like Federica, to put our heads out of the water from time to time to get the breath of air that corroborates us..
"I have to say - Federica said after training - that there is only to catch a little 'breath and a little' sensitivity. But, come on, I thought worse! " So it will be good that we do it. To think that it will not be so difficult to start over. With caution certainly, because it will be necessary that let's get some sensitivity back. But in all likelihood we will also find ourselves, having come out of the water, to say: however, come on, I thought worse.
featured photo by Drew Dau on Unsplash
