Italian fencing champion Fiamingo cheering for boyfriend Paltrinieri: "I am excited as if I am the one competing"

She is excited, smiling and tense "as if I had to compete. Last night, for me, it was like the night before exams." Rossella Fiamingo, 31, is a fencing world champion (2014 and 2015) and Olympic silver medallist (Rio 2016) for èpèe. At the Foro Italico, however, she is not there as a sportswoman, but as a mere fan. A special fan, since she is the girlfriend of the Italian swimmer, Olympic, world and European champion Gregorio Paltrinieri. Until now, she had never been able to watch him live. That's why this morning, sitting in the stands with Paltrinieri's parents, Luca and Lorena, she was watching the men's 800m freestyle heats. "It's the first time I've seen Greg live and yesterday was already like the night before my race" smiles Rossella. "I had that tension on me, it was like the same thing. It was good to see him today, he also seemed quite relaxed. For sure the final will be different, there is the Greg of the heat and the Greg of the final. Today I saw the calm, relaxed and serene one and it was very nice. From the outside it was almost as tiring as when I compete; actually, maybe I feel it even more because I don't know what he is thinking, his feelings when he swims. But I saw him calm, at the end of the race he smiled at me and I am happy and confident." The stunning setting of the Foro Italico has left even Fiamingo speechless. Again, this morning, fans of all nationalities in the stands livened up the session, with Italian ones pushing Paltrinieri and Galossi to qualify for the final. "The setting of the Foro Italico is really beautiful. For Greg these are basically European championships at home in all respects." Fiamingo adds. "It's nice to see the atmosphere that has been around city already from the days before. It has been highly advertised and it’s one of the most important sporting events in Italy. Therefore, this afternoon I expect to see the warmth of the audience in this wonderful place that is Rome. A major fencing event in Italy? This is sort of an appetizer for me, because next year in Milan there will be the world championships." Maybe on that occasion there will be Super Greg cheering for her.

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