South Tyroleans at the Olympics: Who can be happy – and who can’t

This time they didn't bring any medals with them, and most of them couldn't be satisfied either. Below is a look back at the South Tyrolean games.

Simone Giannelli: In a team, everyone always wins or loses together. Giannelli played great despite being banged up. As a performer, he directed and was also a tireless driver. The defeat in the quarter-finals against Argentina hurt, because Italy was clearly favored against this team. It was the only game in which Giannelli didn't play at his usual level. After silver in Rio, the Bolzano native returns without a medal this time.

Raphaela slide: Italy's volleyball women also traveled to Tokyo to win a medal, and their final stop was in the quarterfinals. Raphaela Folie's contribution was very modest because team boss Davide Mazzanti almost never used her. Not only those who look through South Tyrolean glasses claim that he urgently needed them, especially on the block.

Raphaela Folie (pictured here on the right with No. 7 in the game against Argentina) was rarely used at the Olympics. © AFP / ANGELA WEISS

Stefano Ballo: The swimmer from Bolzano, who went to Caserta to start his swimming career, was completely convincing and only had a bit of bad luck, otherwise it would have been enough for the final of the 200 m freestyle and perhaps for the Italian record. Ballo swam in the preliminary and semi-finals as well as in the relay final and was practically always the same speed in these three events. He improved his personal best by almost a second. He got the most out of it, even if the relay team had modest hopes of winning a medal. But the competition was simply too strong.

Verena Steinhauser: The triathlete from Brixen traveled to Tokyo to compete. Then there were two. She was brought into the relay because she had impressed in the individual race. She could have achieved a lot more than 20th place if she hadn't narrowly missed the first chasing group on the bike course. In the season she took on the difficult first part and did a very good job.

Eva Lechner: She didn't even try to hide her disappointment. Although her performances this season didn't put her among the favorites, she is at least the reigning vice world champion. The heat and high humidity took such a toll on her that she couldn't breathe well, so of course she had no chance whatsoever.

Gerhard Kerschbaumer: Like Lechner, the contractor also actually has the quality to compete for the medals. But this isn't his year, and unfortunately he wasn't able to reverse the trend at the Olympics. After the Olympic race, Kerschbaumer was quite self-critical because he had trusted too much in a training plan instead of his feelings.

Deborah Vivarelli: She did it and got a place at the Olympics, which is difficult enough in a world sport like table tennis. Of course, things could have gone better in Tokyo because she didn't have an overpowering opponent in the first round. Maybe it was because of her nerves that the serve let her down. In any case, she only won one set and her Olympic Games were over on the first day.

Michael Piccolruaz: The man from Val Gardena was one of the select group of 20 climbers who were allowed to compete in the Olympic premiere. Things went surprisingly well for him at the start of speed climbing, but he couldn't cope with this wall in bouldering and lead climbing. Nevertheless, he fell short in 15th place. If the three placings had simply been added together instead of the complicated multiplication mode, he would have been 11th.

Petra Nardelli: When she traveled to Tokyo, it was not yet certain that she would be used. But she got a place in the 4 x 400 m relay and did quite well as the third runner in the quartet in 52,13 seconds. Qualifying for the final was a utopia from the start.

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South Tyroleans at the Olympics: Who can be happy – and who can’t

Five South Tyroleans took part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

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