Alessandra Fanali, a key figure in Italian Olympic golf at Paris 2024, has symbolically returned to center stage. She did so by carrying the Flame of Milan Cortina 2026 in the final meters of the 19th leg of its journey across Italy. This move carries strong symbolic significance for one of the key figures in Italian women's golf, already capable of combining the Olympic experience she enjoyed on the green last year with the Olympic future that awaits our country.
Fanali, bio
Alessandra Fanali's participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics represented an important milestone for the entire Italian movement. Her presence in Latina continued that journey, demonstrating how golf is now an integral part of the Olympic universe and its language.
The day of the Flame began in one of the most iconic settings of Italian heritage, the Royal Palace of Caserta. There, the sacred flame began its journey, immersed in the monumentality of the Royal Palace and Gardens. An evocative start, enhanced by a horseback ride past the Royal Palace, a symbol of history, sport, and national identity.
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From Campania, the journey continued toward Lazio, passing through Formia and Gaeta, with the sea as the undisputed protagonist. One of the most spectacular moments occurred in Gaeta: the Flame reached the Cathedral and then continued by sea, on a Lega Navale vessel, returning from Molo Sanit.
In the afternoon, the relay stopped in Sabaudia, running between the Circeo Park and the seafront. Here, the torch was passed to champions who embody the continuity of the Olympic spirit. Among them were Romano Battisti, Olympic silver medalist in rowing, and then Alessio and Matteo Sartori, father and son, with Alessio a multiple Olympic medalist.
The closing ceremony in Latina brought Italian women's sport back to the forefront. In the final meters of the leg, the Flame was carried by Alessia Mesiano, an Olympic boxer. Then it was Alessandra Fanali's turn, who sealed the day with a gesture of profound meaning. For the Italian golfer, the passage of the Flame represented an ideal bridge between the Olympics experienced on the field and those to come.
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With over 24 kilometers, more than 110 torchbearers, and a succession of unique settings, the 19th stage confirmed the power of a collective narrative. A narrative in which golf, thanks to Alessandra Fanali, found space and visibility on the road to Milan Cortina 2026.
