The Italian team of Petanque is back on top of the world. After the gold medal in Dijon on the last year triad the italian national team, coached by CT Mosè Nassa and Riccardo Capaccioni, from the head of delegation Moreno Rosati, conquered a gold medal in the men individual thanks to an amazing performance of Diego Rizzi. In the final of the World Championship Petanque, that took place in the Galoppatoio area at Villa Borghese in Rome, organized by the Italian Bocce Federation, thanks to the support of the Ministry of Sport, of Region Lazio, of the city of Rome, the multiple champion born in 1994 from Bordighera managed to win over the Malagasy Joseph Ramnointiara 13-8. On the semifinal, Diego Rizzi won over the Dutch Kees Koogje 13-11. The bronze medal comes from the men's pair composed by Alessio Cocciolo and Diego Rizzi. Italy stops in the semifinal against Thais Kantaros Choochuay e Nantawan Fueangsanit. Unfortunately the women’s pair composed by Sara Ferrera and Vanessa Romeo forced to surrender at the quarter-finals against Cambodia (13-7), meanwhile in the mixed pair, Alessio Cocciolo and Sara Ferrara stopped at the round of 16. The other italian players that took part in the kermesse didn’t go past the elimination rounds.

“Im pleased of having followed, as head of delegation, an important nation as the Petanque, finding great potential both on a national and international level” declared head of delegation and federal councilor Moreno Rosati. “I want to thank all the staff of the Italian Bocce Federation that made the realization of this global event possible, the president Roberto Favre, the Secretary General Riccardo Milana, the all Federal Council and especially, Marco Giunio De Sanctis, ex president FIB and actual CIP president, for having organized this event in the Eternal City. “Congratulations to our national players for having conquered two medals and also to the other italian players that did not make it to the medal zone. It starts now a new season dedicated to the multidisciplinary which is an added value of our federation” declared Rosati.
“Such an unbelievable emotion. Diego Rizzi conquers the first and historic gold in an individual competition at a World Championship for Italy. For me, at my very first official event as president of FIB, it is a very special debut that fills my heart with joy and pride. For Diego is the third world senior title, the fifth in total if we also include the two that he won in the Under 18 category: an extraordinary champion that writes another page of history of our Petanque” declared the president of FIB Roberto Favre.