The 30-year-old from Udine has arrived at his first Olympic appointment with a wealth of experience and results behind him, which rightly enable him to aim high in Brazilian waters. His first important medal came at the Under-23 World Championships in 2005, and his performance was repeated in the following year in the national championships, which was the followed by four more appearances on the championship podium. He has written a book called “Tutto questo per un oro” ("All this for a gold”), in which he recounts his own experience as an athlete, from the sacrifices and difficult times to the satisfaction and passion that binds him to the sport.