The first gold medal of the Italy team in Tokyo 2020 bears the signature of Vito Dell'Aquila, in taekwondo. The Italian from Mesagne was the undisputed protagonist of the -58 kg category at the Japanese Olympic Games and at the Makhuari Messe Hall got the better of the Tunisian Khalil Mohamed Jendoubi 16-12 in the final.
The Apulian had started his path to Olympic gold by defeating the Hungarian Omar Salim 26-13 in the Round of 16 in the -58 kg category. The Italian then beat Thailand's Ramnarong Sawekwiharee 37-17, paving the way for the semifinal, where he defeated Argentina's Lucas Lautaro Guzman 29-10.
Dell'Aquila, born in 2000, the year taekwondo made its debut in the Sydney Olympic programme, thus embellishing his trophy cabinet, including a European gold and bronze medal (2019 and 2018) and a world bronze (2017).
For the Italian Team it is the second Olympic gold medal of all time after the one won by Carlo Molfetta in London 2012 (also from Mesagne).

Gold Taekwondo for dell'Aquila