At the Paralympic World Championships in London, the dream of Angela Procida from Castellammare di Stabia

Nineteen years old, a diagnosis of permanent paralysis and a dream come true: the swimming world championships. This is the story of Angela Procida, a paralympic athlete from Castellammare di Stabia, participating in the swimming world championships, which are being held right now in London. Listening to her talk about her life is something you can't help but be enchanted by. Angela is a special girl, she has the naturalness typical of champions. That particular gift that allows you to go beyond the adversities of life, managing to transform them into victory. And yet until 2005 this young athlete was a child like many others, at the age of five she was involved in a terrible car accident, which caused her a spinal injury at the cervical level C5. A serious disability, which turned her life upside down. But her family remains by her side, supports her, gives her the strength necessary to not give up. Slowly Angela begins to recover, discovers her love for the sea, where swimming finally makes her feel free. Her passion for swimming was born like this. The first medal arrives, Angela does not stop anymore. The successes are continuous as she herself tells us: “In 2015 my first absolute record arrived, very unexpected. While in 2016 I reached the time limits for Rio, even if I did not go, since I was eleventh out of 10 available places.

In 2017 I took part in the European Youth Championship, where I won a silver medal in the 50 breaststroke. In 2018 I won a bronze medal in the 50 breaststroke at the World Series in Lignano Sabbiadoro and in 2019 I won the bronze medal in the 50 breaststroke, and from 5 to 7 July I updated four absolute records in four distances.” It is striking how in her story Angela manages to move from the discomforts of her disability to her dreams for the future (she has just enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering) without ever forgetting her greatest love, that for sport. All with the great awareness of someone who knows that nothing is achieved without sacrifices. Today we find her in London, with a very specific dream for her future: “When I think about my future, I think about tomorrow's race, I hope to win a medal. A medal that can really repay all the sacrifices I have made. For me it would represent a sort of revenge for my life. I hope I can also win a pass for the European Championships and for Tokyo 2020, which remains the dream of every athlete, my biggest dream… “. And we are rooting for her.

 Marcella Aliberti