Giovanni Ficarra, the first athlete in the world to win three gold medals in rowing at World Championships, is participating in the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games.
The Italian champion competes in singles and is favorite to win the gold medal in Heraklion. On the way to his unique achievement, he won gold medals at the 2021 World Rowing Championships in Oeiras, Portugal, the 2022 World Rowing Championships in Račice, Czech Republic and the 2023 World Indoor Rowing Championships in Toronto, Canada!
In Crete, the 27-year-old rower is fresh off winning the gold medal at the European Coastal Rowing Championships held last week (1-3/9) in France. He is taking part in the Mediterranean Beach Games for the first time. “It’s the first time I’m taking part in the Mediterranean Beach Games and it’s a great experience for me to be here. Heraklion is very beautiful, the facilities are very good and it is a challenge for me as it is my first time competing in the sprint in Coastal Rowing. Weather conditions play a major role in Coastal Rowing and this creates different odds for who can win. The first time I participated in Coastal Rowing was in 2021. I started from rowing and it is a sport that I love very much», said the Sicilian athlete who belongs to Rowing Club Peloro and continued:
“After my success in France and winning the gold medal, I definitely want to take the gold here. But as I said before, it is an open competition and there are many good opponents, France, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia etc., but the strongest I think are the French and the Spanish. I am happy that Coastal Rowing will enter the program of the Olympic Games and it will be my dream to participate and be distinguished in Los Angeles, in 2028“, he concluded. Giovanni Ficara’s participation in the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games is also a strong test for World Coastal Rowing Championships to be held in his home country, Italy and in the town of Barletta in October (6-8/10).
Ficarra was born in 1996 in Messina in Northern Sicily. He has surpassed 40 titles in the Italian championships, while he has won two gold medals in the U23 World Championships!
