Focus On | Elisa Pizzini

Verona - In the latest episode of Focus On, we get to know Elisa Pizzini better, the European champion in the 3m synchronised diving event with Chiara Pellacani. From her family ties and connection with the Gialloblù colours to her passion for diving, and her gold medal at the latest European Championships, Pizzini tells us about her journey, her relationship with Verona and Hellas Verona, and the emotions of a victory shared with her family in the stands.

This episode of Focus On is also available on Hellas Verona's Spotify channel.

How did it feel to enter the Bentegodi? "It was a great feeling, because I had never experienced anything like it before. Seeing the history of the stadium and learning about its origins and the players connected to it was a wonderful experience. It was a lot of fun."

Especially because during the competitions in Paris we saw your uncle celebrating every dive while waving the Gialloblù flag. How emotional was it to share all of this with your family? "Very emotional, also because hardly anyone ever gets to watch diving competitions, and it's also difficult to bring them along to these events. I'm always travelling around the world, so I was really happy that they were able to watch me and bring a little bit of home to Paris."

Your family's football allegiance certainly hasn't gone unnoticed and, through your performances, you've also helped people in Verona discover and appreciate a sport that is less well known to many. Do you follow football yourself, and Hellas in particular? "To be honest, football and I don't really get along, but my family has always supported Hellas. My brother also played for Verona, so we are very closely connected to this team."

Like many young footballers, you also had to leave Verona at a very young age to compete at the highest level. How did you deal with being away from home, and how much do you have to be willing to give up to pursue a dream? "You have to be willing to give up a lot, because nothing happens by itself. Even when you're very young, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to do and what you need to do to achieve your goal. They are necessary sacrifices and, if you're willing to make them, you understand that from a young age, so they don't become a major problem."

You are studying psychology: how has this training helped you deal with your rehabilitation after the injury in November, and how useful has it been throughout your return to competition and in improving your performances? "A lot, especially because it was a significant setback, as was the surgery. I didn't even know if I would be able to compete again. It helped me a lot because I had to become aware again that I had to start from scratch. Without this process and without the psychologists who supported me, I wouldn't have been able to do it."

At the latest European Championships, you won the gold medal in the 3m synchronised event with Chiara Pellacani. Just like in football, the relationship between teammates is fundamental in synchronised diving as well. What is the secret behind a winning partnership like yours? "I think that, beyond diving and sport, you also need to be in sync on a human level. Chiara and I are friends, and we started building our relationship two years ago. It's very important to be connected as people before being connected as athletes."

Looking ahead, what are the next events on the diving calendar, and how much are the 2027 World Championships in Budapest and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics already on your mind? "The next major events are the 2027 World Championships and the European Championships, followed by the Olympic qualifying events at the beginning of 2028. So we work every day towards that goal, and hopefully we'll be ready when the time comes."

If you were to reverse the roles, what would you say to a footballer who is afraid to take a decisive penalty, given your experience from the 3m board? "My mental coach actually made the same comparison when I was afraid of competing. He always told me: 'If you're there, it's because they chose you. You shouldn't be afraid to take the penalty; you have to go for it with confidence, because if you're there, it means you're capable of doing what you need to do.' So I would tell them not to be afraid and to always go for it."

Finally, show us your beautiful medal. Tell us a little about the emotions of that competition and this wonderful gold medal. "It's incredible to hold a medal of this value in my hands, because I've put so much effort and made so many sacrifices to achieve it. I still haven't fully processed the emotions, because, as I said, I hadn't really understood what had happened until I saw Chiara jumping up and down and telling me, 'We did it, we did it!' Even now, I still find it hard to realise, but it's a huge joy, because it's the first time and you never forget your first."