Torino 2025 have lit up the city. The International Day of University Sport, globally recognised by Unesco for its educational and cultural values, closed with a big party at dusk, thanks to the lighting of the Mole Antonelliana with the FISU Games logo and, at the same time, the new countdown on the Torre Maratona, next to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
The heart of the celebrations, however, was the Palavela, which has been transformed into Casa TO2025 since last June, and which last night brought together a thousand people for the last ice-parade of the summer, followed by a show presented by Sky Sport journalist Federica Frola and Paralympic champion Alessandro Ossola (finalist in the 100-metre-planes at the Tokyo Paralympics and worldwide promoter of inclusive padel). After watching the open-door training sessions of Aiden Buttiero, Alessia Tornaghi, Giada Russo, Emanuele Indelicato, Alberto Vanz and the Victoria Manni/Carlo Rothlisbergher duo, the spectators became protagonists of the show.
First they were involved in the flash mob Let’s IDUS (acronym of the International Day of University Sport) and then they were able to continue skating on the ice of the Palavela, the arena that will host the short track and figure skating competitions of the XXXII World University Games from 13 to 23 January 2025.
“The Universiade returns to the city where it was born in 1959 and does so with a winter edition. The International Day of University Sport was the perfect occasion to promote our event, with a big party, an evening of fun, entertainment, and great sport too”, commented the President of the World University Games, Alessandro Ciro Sciretti, before adding, “We have many upcoming events in our Road To2025, and the fact that the main theme of next New Year’s Eve in Piazza Castello will be Torino 2025 will further strengthen the rooting of the Universiade and winter sports in the DNA of our city and region”.
An event under the banner of inclusiveness and innovation, underlined by the bionic testimonial, as Alessandro Ossola likes to call himself: “Thanks to university research and technological development, I can walk, go to the seaside and do anything naturally. After the accident in which I lost my left leg, sport has given me so much. I started with snowboarding and wearing the suit at first made me feel safe, because it hid the prosthesis. Then, I overcame this fear and today I ski with the prosthesis in sight and it is an immense joy. My favourite discipline remains athletics, because it is the one that has given me the most satisfaction, including a European medal, three Italian records and a Paralympic final. Instead, I never thought I would be back on ice skates again and it was wonderful to do it on such a beautiful evening for my city”.
