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CASSARA Andrea
NOC Italy   
GenderMen
Born 03 Jan 1984 in Brescia, ITA
Height1.92 m
Human Interest
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team Scherma Brescia [ITA] / CS Carabinieri [ITA]:
General Interest
Hobbies Spending time with family and his dog. (tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020)
Awards and honours He received the Collare d'Oro from the Italian Olympic Committee [CONI] in 2003, 2015, 2017, and 2018. (coni.it, 01 Jun 2018)

He was named Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2004. (quirinale.it, 12 Apr 2011)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? He first tried the sport at age five.
Further Personal Information
Occupation Coach, Police Athlete
Languages English, Italian
Residence Brescia, ITA
General Interest
Injuries At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, he sustained an ankle injury during his individual foil round of 32 bout. He was able to win the bout, but was eliminated in the round of 16. (oasport.it, 26 Jul 2021)

He was diagnosed with tennis elbow in 2015 and was unable to compete during the first half of the 2015/16 season. (nuovavenezia.gelocal.it, 03 Feb 2016; oasport.it, 14 Jan 2016)

He injured his right ankle during the quarterfinal of the 2013 World Cup event in Tokyo, Japan, and was forced to retire from the match. (agi.it, 05 May 2013)
Sport Specific Information
Handedness Left
Further Personal Information
Higher education Sports Science - University of Brescia: Italy
Family Wife Elisa Albini
General Interest
Famous relatives His wife Elisa Albini has represented Great Britain in fencing. She was part of the national squad that was ranked 14th in team epee at the 2011 World Championships in Catania, Italy. (Facebook profile, 20 Dec 2021; SportsDeskOnline, 21 Jun 2017)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? He began fencing at his local club because it was close to his house.
General Interest
Ambitions To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020)
Sporting philosophy / motto "There was a time in which everything was new. Then I became used to it. Now I live and enjoy every moment." (giornaledibrescia.it, 22 Jun 2018)
Other information BALANCING EMOTIONS
He had doubts about continuing in the sport following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after he was knocked out of the men's individual foil competition in the round of 16. He then began working with a mental coach who helped him start enjoying the process more than the outcome, and get a better sense of his emotions in both victory and defeat. "The secret is balance. You can't be too happy when you win in competition and you can't be too sad when you lose the competition because we compete every week. So we have to balance to keep training. And the most important thing is to think about the next competition. I'm really enjoying [what] I do. And [it's for this] reason that I want to continue fencing, not because I had to, but because I want to." (tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020)

OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
He hopes to make his sixth Olympic appearance at the 2024 Games in Paris. "In Beijing 2008 and London 2012, especially in London, I had a lot of pressure because I was number one in the world. So all eyes were on me. We won in the team but I didn't really perform very well in the individual [event]. It goes without saying that the goal was to go home with two medals from the 2020 Games. But not only did I come back empty-handed, I didn't even have the opportunity to go further due to an injury I sustained in the individual event. I am not yet ready to say that this Olympics has taught me something, but I can say one thing, the desire to continue is great. Paris 2024 is around the corner." (Instagram profile, 04 Aug 2021; pianetascherma.com, 04 Aug 2021; repubblica.it, 01 Aug 2021; tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He has worked as sporting director of the Bergamasca Scherma club in Bergamo, Italy. He has also coached at the Scherma Brescia club, which was founded by his family in 1987. He also runs training camps and organises competitions for younger fencers through the AC Fencing Academy. "I can compare [teaching] with my career. It's different but I can compare. There is a lot of emotion. I have more stress when I go to watch my students' competitions." (AC Fencing Academy Facebook page, 07 Apr 2022; Scherma Brescia Facebook page, 03 Jan 2022; pianetascherma.com, 19 Dec 2021; bresciaoggi.it, 10 Nov 2021; folgariafencingcamp.it, 01 Jan 2021; tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020; bergamonews.it, 05 May 2019; bergamascascherma.it, 01 Nov 2018; ecodibergamo.it, 28 Jul 2018; bresciatoday.it, 17 May 2018)
Hero / Idol Italian footballer Alessandro Del Piero. (tuttojuve.com, 26 Mar 2013)
Sport Specific Information
Training Regime He incorporates boxing into his training schedule.

Major Results
Year Rank Event Venue
Olympic Games
2020 5 Team Foil Tokyo, Japan
2016 4 Team Foil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2012 1 Team Foil London, England
2012 Quarterfinal Individual Foil London, England
2008 6 Individual Foil Beijing, China
2004 1 Team Foil Athens, Greece
2004 3 Individual Foil Athens, Greece
World Championships
2019 3 Team Foil Budapest, Hungary
2019 5 Individual Foil Budapest, Hungary
2018 1 Team Foil Wuxi, China
2017 1 Team Foil Leipzig, Germany
2014 3 Team Foil Kazan, Russia
2013 5 Individual Foil Budapest, Hungary
2011 1 Individual Foil Catania, Italy
2011 7 Team Foil Catania, Italy
2010 2 Team Foil Paris, France
2009 1 Team Foil Antalya, Turkey
2009 Quarter-final Individual Foil Antalya, Turkey
2008 1 Team Foil Beijing, China
2006 3 Team Foil Turin, Italy
2005 2 Team Foil Leipzig, Germany
2003 1 Team Foil Havana, Cuba
2003 3 Individual Foil Havana, Cuba
European Championships
2019 3 Team Foil Düsseldorf, Germany
2018 2 Team Foil Novi Sad, Serbia
2018 5 Individual Foil Novi Sad, Serbia
2016 5 Individual Foil Torun, Poland
2015 1 Individual Foil Montreux, Switzerland
2013 7 Team Foil Zagreb, Croatia
2011 2 Individual Foil Sheffield, England
2010 1 Team Foil Leipzig, Germany
2009 1 Team Foil Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2008 1 Individual Foil Kiev, Ukraine
2008 1 Team Foil Kiev, Ukraine
2007 5 Individual Foil Ghent, Belgium
2005 1 Individual Foil Zalaegerszeg, Hungary
2002 1 Individual Foil Moscow, Russia
2002 1 Team Foil Moscow, Russia