ATP Tour (DR) / World Aquatics (DR)
By Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Sports journalist
Very critical of his living conditions during the Paris Olympic Games, Thomas Ceccon nevertheless won a gold medal. Furthermore, he shared the village he hated so much with Rafael Nadal and revealed his attitude towards him behind the scenes.
If we had to take stock of his fortnight on a sporting level, it would be quite satisfactory. Of the four events in which he participated during the Paris Olympic Games, Thomas Ceccon won two medals, including a gold in the 100-meter backstroke. However, this does not mean that he left the French capital with a huge smile, he who apparently did not enjoy his stay there at all.
On the sidelines of the Paris Open, Thomas Ceccon started by Rafael Nadal
Despite the relatively good results he obtained, Ceccon made many criticisms of the Paris Games, and notably on the Olympic village in which he stayed. This, unlike Rafael Nadal, who was also there and who could have encountered him there. This would in any case have made the Italian swimmer happy, who recently expressed his admiration for him in the columns of the Corriere della Sera :
Thomas Ceccon : My idol? Rafa Nadal. He is the greatest fighter in the history of the sport. Even now that his body seems exhausted, he refuses to give up, he still tries to fight with the best because he loves it, because he likes it, because it’s his life.
A magnificent tribute which apparently did not escape the attention of the person concerned.
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Indeed, just a few hours after the publication of these comments, Nadal would have written to his counterpart on the networks, as the latter revealed to The Vicenza Newspaper :
Thomas Ceccon : He sent me a very sweet message on Instagram, telling me that he was honored to be one of my idols and that he would be happy to meet me one day. That would be amazing.
Failing to have been able to interact in the Olympic village, the two athletes hope to have the opportunity to do so in the future. In particular Ceccon, obviously touched by this initiative of the Spanish tennis player and whose respect he has for him has undoubtedly only increased after that. It could also be that this message received had an impact… on his performance in training according to his coach, Alberto Burlina:
Alberto Burlina: He was enthusiastic about Nadal’s words and we hope that they can meet sooner or later. It would be great for him. (…) He trains better than before. He experienced a small period of depression after winning gold and achieving his goal in Paris. But now he has resumed training with intensity and I must say that he is doing it excellently.
A huge fan of Rafael Nadal, Thomas Ceccon had the pleasure of receiving a private message from him after making his admiration for him public. To see if this will allow them to rub shoulders one day, which they apparently did not do in the Olympic village.
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