Diver ambassador Tania Cagnotto (ITA) at the Foro Italico between 2009 memories and Roma 2022 predicions

When you see Tania Cagnotto, you think immediately of a happy woman. She has been European and world champion, has won a silver and bronze medal at the Olympic Games, and today she is enjoying her new life, as a wife and mother of two little girls. This morning, at the European Championships, in the first scheduled diving event, Italy secured their first gold medal in the team event, with Cagnotto in the stands cheering. Last night she also gave a speech to the Italian athletes at their training camp. As Ambassador, she tells us about the feelings of returning to the Foro Italico where, in 2009, she won bronze in the women's 3m springboard event and a historic silver one in the 3m synchronised event with compatriot Francesca Dallapè.

How does it feel to be back in Rome?

?Sono entrata dalla parte del tunnel e mi è venuta subito l’ansia perché era quello da cui passavamo noi. Sono stata travolta da un’ondata di ricordi e emozioni belle, ma poter essere qui in un?altra veste a godermi l?atmosfera mi piace. Un po? mi mancano le gare, soprattutto quando vedo gli altri allenarsi, ma senza pressione me la godo”.

Le manca la competizione?

"I don't miss the adrenaline, I had so much of it, and towards the end of my career I was sick of the pressure. I kind of miss the life I had before: training, travel, competition, satisfaction, goals. Now with two little girls everything is different, I miss the team a little bit, but I am happy with my life."

Italy have immediately started with a gold in the team event.

"We had a meeting last night, they made me give an emotional speech to talk about my own feelings in 2009 and it was good. They are many and young, there was a good atmosphere, I can see them performing well."

And what about Italy's opponents?

“We will see how well the British will do, as they are just back from competing at the Commonwealth Games, which must have been quite challenging. But, in my opinion, Great Britain, Italy and Ukraine are the strongest teams”.

There was a time when you thought about a comeback.

"Yes, I gave it another try as a pair with Francesca Dallapè. Probably, without the pandemics I would have made to the Tokyo Olympics: we, both of us moms, were getting back in shape. It took us more than a year but things were going well. I trained a lot, it was good for me both physically and from a media point of view. But then there was the pandemics and when I heard that the Games had been postponed for a year, I went into a crisis. I didn't know what to do."

At that point, after Maya, Lisa was born.

"I wanted a second child, and when she arrived, I thought it was a sign of fate, that it had to be this way. And today I'm here, just enjoying the races and the atmosphere."

Many people say that this is the most beautiful pool in the world: is that true for you as well?

"Yes, together with the one in Barcelona. Diving with the Sagrada Familia in the background is wonderful."

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