Zorro's skill with the sword has enchanted millions of people - including Elia Dagani - who for over a century have made his character an authentic icon of popular culture thanks to the American writer Johnston McCulley, creator in 1919 of the myth of great and little ones. «I was fascinated by Zorro – says Elia Degani – for his black clothing with his mask and for his ability to duel. Fencing immediately conquered me and here I am 20 years later chasing another dream…».
The 2024 Paris Olympics represent the most important goal of your still young career, in which parlmarès stands out an Under 23 European team title.
«It is precisely the team discipline that determines qualification for the Olympic Games even in individual specialties. France, Italy, Korea and Hungary are the most accredited in the eight races over the course of a year that are worth a ticket to Paris, without forgetting Ukraine and Russia. To win this competition, Switzerland will have to outdo itself. The internal selection for the four places available to participate in the qualifying matches with the national team is also tough. It will be an open fight until the end, even if an Olympics is worth any sacrifice. I have a year to fully play my chances».
Elia Dagani was born on February 3, 1998 under the sign of Aquarius, in which he finds some sporting legends such as soccer players Roberto Baggio, Cristiano Ronaldo, motorcyclist Valentino Rossi and tennis player John McEnroe. Who inspires you?
“To Roger Federer. Beyond his extraordinary career successes, he has always presented himself as a true sportsman, with class and elegance. A man appreciated all over the world for his unmistakable style and for his ability to be loved everywhere. An example for any young person my age."
Fencing requires excellent physical fitness, great technical and mental ability, as well as extraordinary concentration. What is your training schedule?
«I moved to Milan for my university studies and I intensified my preparation up to 24 hours a week. My day includes two hours in the gym for purely physical work and another two and a half hours of fencing for technique and combat. In addition, I rely on a mental trainer, Stéphane Clech, who knows this sport very well, being a specialist in it. They are sitting face-to-face or in videoconferencing which have allowed me to make considerable progress. Milan, where I completed my Bachelor in 2022, was an optimal choice that now allows me to combine training with my Master in Management that I am following at USI in Lugano».
Why did you choose the sword?
«Unlike the foil and the sabre, which are weapons subject to an agreement with the right to strike the one who initiates the attack, mine is a more open specialty and every fencer can score the decisive thrust without limitations. I feel freer, even if the sword has more competitors and requires more energy. Adrenaline is always at its peak. To quote one of my masters, a fencing bout can be considered as a chess game played at the speed of light».
Some outstanding results already stand out in your curriculum and the Under 23 continental team title won in 2018 in Armenia is your flagship so far…
«I was lucky enough to be part of the upper category youth selections and at 13 I was already fighting for the Under 17 national team. In Yerevan, in 2018, I was only 20 in what remains the most important result of my career. Even the Under 17 bronze in Maribor in 2015 and the gold in the Under 20 World Cup in 2016 in Bahrain came in a category above my age. At the Swiss Championships I won a silver and two bronzes and in the next edition in December I will aim for gold. In the current season I have so far obtained two medals in competitions on the European circuit in the "absolute" category. A silver in Dublin and a bronze in Lausanne which confirm the value of the work I am following».
Of the eight Olympic medals won by Switzerland in fencing, only three come from the epee, while in 58 editions of the World Championships there has never been an individual title. How do you explain this particularly laborious path compared to other Summer Olympic sports such as gymnastics, cycling, rowing or horse riding?
«Competition in my discipline is very high and establishing oneself in the various competitions is always difficult, even if Switzerland's team gold medal at the 2018 World Championships should be highlighted with pride. There are many variables that come into play in fencing , which in recent years has become increasingly physical, with athletic preparation now playing a fundamental role in achieving performance. A fencer of 1 meters (or even taller) has an explosive physique and an arm span that expands his ability to land a jab before his opponent. In the sword, with a 90 cm long blade, it makes the difference even more. However, with good tactics, technique and mental strength, anyone can be beaten."
How do you imagine "your" national team?
«The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games closed an extraordinary cycle and a generational change is underway to which I want to belong. COVID has put all of sport to the test, making young people lose a year in preparation for the great event in Paris 2024, given that the Tokyo 2020 edition was actually held in 2021. Beyond this consideration which can represent an advantage for those traditionally stronger countries, I feel good and I am fully motivated for an ambitious and fascinating goal like that of participating in an Olympics. In 2028 I will still be in the full maturity of a fencer, which normally ranges from 27 to 32 years old, and I will also be able to aim for the Los Angeles Games ».
Buenos Aires, Vancouver, Istanbul, Budapest, Doha. You have World Cup races around the globe on your calendar and that is also a challenging aspect of your international competitions…
«Swiss Fencing, our federation, partially reimburses (and only from entry into the main draw of each tournament) the expenses for these trips. Fencing is also a financially demanding sport and without the support of personal sponsors it would be impractical. I am lucky enough to benefit from the support of Banca del Sempione, which follows me regardless of the outcome of purely sporting results. It is a project that also allows me to focus on the physical and mental preparation of my growth, also favoring an ethical aspect that strengthens my balance as a sportsman and as a man. The Aide sportive suisse, supported by Swiss Olympic, our Army (of which I belong as an athlete) and the Ticino Sport Help Association in collaboration with AIL guarantee my independence. I thank every person who believes in me even in this basic aspect".
Elia Dagani, a fencing talent supported by the Banca del Sempione
Fencing is a combat sport that is practiced with protected "weapons": epee, foil and sabre. Elia Dagani from Ticino is one of its best interpreters at Swiss level and is pursuing qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: «The national team is managed by the Frenchman Stéphane Le Roy, who already relies on two fixed places in the team for selection at the most awaited event of next year. Five athletes remained in the running for the other two squares and I believe it with all my might».
Marcel Fischer, the only fencer in history to win an Olympic gold medal for the Swiss colors (in Athens in 2004), crowned the in-depth work of "Swiss Fencing", the national federation which has been concentrating its efforts on epee for years. «I started with foil, then I changed to be able to have a competitive future at an international level», smiles Elia Dagani.
The sword is the most versatile specialty and allows you to strike any part of the body. Foil is a lighter weapon and the target is limited to the opponent's torso, while the faster saber allows fighters to strike at the torso, arms and head. «Mine is certainly the most complete and spectacular discipline». To face each other on the pitch, 14 meters long and 1,5 meters wide, the fencers must wear a protective mask and a uniform consisting of a jacket, a cuirass, trousers and a glove.
Elia Dagani, one of the most interesting promises on the Swiss sports scene, is supported by the Banca del Sempione, which has embraced the project of a young economics student with no constraints on results. «We follow the talents in their training - underlines Veronica Broggi, deputy director of the institute present in Lugano since 1960 - with the aim of guaranteeing them a path of sporting growth and life experience. At the moment, we are also present in tennis, with a young promise, and – in the second half of the year – with a team in floor hockey».
