From oxygen cylinder to setting tracks on fire at World Para Athletics

Italian para-athlete Carlo Fabio Marcello Calcagni proved that the strength of the human spirit outweighs physical ailment, securing a gold medal

Hyderabad: Despite suffering from sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and a dependence on an oxygen cylinder, Italian para-athlete Carlo Fabio Marcello Calcagni proved that the strength of the human spirit outweighs physical ailment, securing a gold medal and setting a new championship record in the men’s 400m T72 final on Day 2 of the IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi.

The former Italian army colonel powered his three-wheeled frame across the finish line with an impressive time of 59.91 seconds, later declaring that the true victory was not the medal itself, but the chance “to live and not to survive.”

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