Luca Mazzone

Started: He participated in football, boxing and bodybuilding before his injury. He first tried handcycling in 2004. (ortodellearti.it, 30 Mar 2019; federciclismo.it, 29 Nov 2017; bari.repubblica.it, 07 Sep 2016) Reason: He represented Italy in swimming at the Paralympic Games in 2000, 2004 and 2008, but he was looking for a change. "Having less and less desire to swim, I decided to try a new adventure with handcycling. I already knew I liked it because I used it as part of my swimming training." (SportsDeskOnline, 24 Oct 2019; gazzetta.it, 25 Feb 2016) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Facebook profile, 13 Feb 2024) Awards: He and athletics competitor Ambra Sabatini were named as Italy's flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (menshealth.com, 21 Aug 2024) He received the Sports Excellence award for 2022 in the Puglia region of Italy. (Instagram profile, 20 Feb 2023) Additional Info: SWIMMING TO HANDCYCLING He represented Italy in Para swimming earlier in his career, but retired from the sport following the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. He was invited to get involved in Para cycling in 2011 after receiving a call from national coach Mario Valentini. "I soon regretted having retired [from swimming]. I was no longer happy, I missed training and competitions. There was so much anxiety but the experiences in swimming have taught me to manage emotions and adrenaline. A fundamental quality for these two sports [swimming and cycling] is to endure mental fatigue. I would say this is the secret to getting to the top both in swimming and in handbike." (comitatoparalimpico.it, 29 Aug 2019; bari.repubblica.it, 18 Sep 2016) BOOK In 2018 he released a book called 'The Prison of the Impossible'. "Life has to be discovered in all its thousands of possibilities. I always make the comparison with the movie 'Sliding Doors', if I hadn't opened the pool door that day 30 years ago, falling in love with swimming and training, now I don't know what I would be. I might have aged prematurely, I would not have visited half the world and all its wonders. I would perhaps be depressed and still angry with life." (comitatoparalimpico.it, 29 Aug 2019; ruvoviva.it, 19 Apr 2018) FATHERHOOD He is motivated by his son's presence at competitions. "The joy of my son when he sees me coming first. When I finish second, he almost doesn't look at me. When I risk giving up, I think of him, of his happiness. I can't wait to hug him again, smiling." (bari.repubblica.it, 18 Sep 2016)