Benedetta Pilato, at the age of 19, is a veteran of the National Team who, at the World Championships in Doha, is preparing for the Olympics. She has made significant changes in her life, moving from Taranto to Torino, switching coaches, adjusting her daily routines, and pursuing higher education in Biology at the University. Despite the challenges of these changes, she feels good about her decisions and is pleased with the results, acknowledging the courage it took to make these changes.
She also emphasizes the importance of her coach’s personality and the human aspect in addition to the technical side of training. She maintains a close relationship with her former coach Vito d’Onghia and appreciates the tranquility and support her current coach, Antonio Satta, provides her. Pilato also discusses her double training sessions and the adjustments she had to make to her body, highlighting the positive aspects of her new lifestyle in Torino.
Pilato insists that her decisions were not made solely based on her relationship and expresses her firm stance against changing her entire life for someone else, highlighting the importance of making well-considered choices. She also addresses the issue of gender bias when it comes to athletes’ personal lives being questioned and expresses her solidarity with other athletes who have made similar coaching changes. Looking ahead to the World Championships and the Olympics, she acknowledges the competitive nature of the events and her focus on personal performance rather than comparing herself to others.
She emphasizes her desire to fully experience the upcoming Olympics in Paris, aiming to make it a memorable and enjoyable experience.