Martina Batini honoured in Pisa by the Tuscany Region: an emotional ceremony at San Rossore Sport Village

The foil champion from Pisa received the Festina Lente Award from the Regional Council of Tuscany in the presence of institutional representatives. Andrea Madonna: “We are proud to have hosted a ceremony of such sporting and institutional significance.”

Pisa, 25 October 2026

A ceremony of great institutional and sporting significance was held this morning at San Rossore Sport Village in Pisa to present the Festina Lente Award to Martina Batini, the foil champion from Pisa. Visibly moved and happy, she received an important and prestigious honour celebrating her sporting achievements in her own city and region.

The Festina Lente Award recognises individuals whose dedication and achievements bring distinction to Tuscany. The decision to host the ceremony at San Rossore Sport Village highlights the connection between the Pisa facility and the world of sport, in which Martina Batini is one of the most respected and admired figures.

“Make haste slowly is a motto I deeply identify with,” said Martina Batini, expressing her emotion at receiving an award in her own city and from her Region, two cornerstones of her journey alongside her family and support team. The champion recalled her special connection with San Rossore Sport Village, important not only for athletic preparation but also for physiotherapy, which plays an increasingly decisive role as an athlete’s career develops. “Every athlete wants to achieve their dreams, but it is important to remember that results achieved too quickly can crumble. That is why making haste slowly is a good path to follow.”

The well-attended ceremony brought together Antonio Mazzeo, Vice-President of the Regional Council of Tuscany; regional councillor Matteo Trapani; Frida Scarpa, Sports Councillor for the Municipality of Pisa; Dr Giovanni Santarelli, physiotherapist and director of San Rossore Sport Village alongside Dr Simone Casarosa; and Luca Trotta, Martina Batini’s athletic trainer, who also works with other Olympic athletes at the facility.

The award was presented by Antonio Mazzeo, who had proposed the honour. He recalled how the Latin motto Festina lente, associated with Cosimo I de’ Medici, perfectly reflects the Pisa champion’s journey. “We chose San Rossore Sport Village because it is where Martina trains every day. Patience, dedication and consistent work are the values that have enabled her to achieve important milestones,” Mazzeo emphasised, recalling her successes over the past year, including two gold medals at the World and European Championships, in individual and team competitions. Her continuing progress brings prestige to Pisa and Tuscany on the international sporting stage.

Dr Giovanni Santarelli also reflected on the value of continuity and preparation, highlighting the importance of consistent, attentive and patient physiotherapy, which is essential above all for professional athletes and their ability to maintain high-level performance over time.

Regional councillor Matteo Trapani looked back over Martina Batini’s fifteen years of sporting success, underlining the extraordinary consistency of a career built through dedication and determination.

Sports Councillor Frida Scarpa’s contribution was also particularly significant, describing the champion as an example for younger generations. “Martina Batini shows how commitment, hard work and awareness of one’s abilities make it possible to overcome limits and achieve great goals,” she emphasised, recalling how the champion combines a sporting career at the highest level with her profession as an engineer and her role as a mother. “A model of determination and personal fulfilment who is a true source of pride for the city of Pisa.”

“We are particularly proud and pleased to have hosted at San Rossore Sport Village a ceremony of such sporting and institutional significance, organised by the Regional Council of Tuscany to pay tribute to an extraordinary athlete like Martina Batini,” said lawyer Andrea Madonna in his message. “For us, this is an important occasion that confirms our centre’s commitment to being a point of reference for athletes, sports enthusiasts and the entire sporting world. This role is built not only on the quality of our facilities and services, but also on the presence of outstanding coaches, athletic trainers, and professionals in sport and sports medicine who contribute every day to athletes’ development and preparation. This combination of expertise and professionalism is one of the defining strengths of San Rossore Sport Village.”