Olympic Champ Galiazzo inducted into Italian sport’s walk of fame

A plaque dedicated to Athens 2004 Olympic Champion Marco Galiazzo has been unveiled at the Foro Italico in Rome.

A four-time Olympian who also won a team gold medal at London 2012, he is only the second archer after Paola Fantato to be inducted into Italy’s sporting walk of fame, which currently boasts 140 members.

“I have few words to describe this joy,” said an emotional Galiazzo after the ceremony on 26 October. “It is truly a great honour to be included among the athletes who have written the history of archery and Italian sport in general.”

The 40-year-old became Italy’s first and, to date, only individual archery gold medallist at the Olympics when he won the recurve men’s title in the Greek capital’s Panathinaikos Stadium.

Still an active member of the national team, Marco was elected athletes’ representative in the Italian archery federation in March.

Italian federation president Mario Scarzella paid tribute to the Olympic Champion during the inauguration ceremony.

“It was a pleasant surprise when I learned that the name of Marco, who is a champion among champions, was placed alongside that of other athletes who have written the sporting history of this country,” he said.

“It is a beautiful and well-deserved recognition that is a boast for the federation and for all Italian archers.”

Rome’s sporting walk of fame was founded in 2015.

Among the first 100  inductees was Olympian and five-time Paralympian archer Fantato, who is still the only Italian athlete to have competed in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. She appeared in both at Atlanta 1996.

Image courtesy Roberto di Tondo/Italian Olympic Committee.