Rossella Fiamingo and Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy)
“I am excited as if I am the one competing,” fencer Rossella Fiamingo told Olympics.com of watching her fiancé in the pool—or, if he competes in the 10K open water swim in Paris—the River Seine.
And Gregorio Paltrinieri is all in on Rossella’s sport, too, which he called “beautiful to watch.” After adding another gold and silver to his tally at the 2023 World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Gregorio made a surprise stop in Milan to catch the team épée final at the World Fencing Championships.
“Rossella didn’t know, she was shocked,” he told Olympics.com afterward. “She asked me last night [about being there] and I told her I was exhausted.”
Well, he may be a trickster, but he’s also her No. 1 supporter.
Knowing Rossella was disappointed the Italian team only won silver, Gregorio added, “There are races in which you can do better and others worse, but it’s part of the journey. It happens to me too, but I never lose faith. This is what I will tell her, not to lose faith.”