Team Italy bids farewell to Rio 2016. And it does so with a satisfying balance: the results confirm Italy claims 9th place in the Olympic medals table with 28 podium finishes (8 golds, 12 silvers and 8 bronzes), just like at the last two summer editions but with a higher number of silvers (12, three more), despite the disadvantageous programme and about 50 medals lost by Russia and China.

CONI President Giovanni Malagò, together with the Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, and the Head of the Delegation and Deputy Secretary General, Carlo Mornati, took stock of the team's performance, starting with their personal feelings and then explained, in detail, what the numbers mean. "I think Italy has made an excellent impression, I am proud not only to be the President of CONI but above all Italian. We could have won a few more medals even if indications on the eve of the event were more pessimistic. But that is the Olympics: the number of fourth places, 10 compared to 8 in London, the disadvantageous programme, as well as unfortunate events such as those involving Nibali and Mangiacapre. The closing day is meaningful because it places a mirror on the Italian team in Rio, with the improbable that makes the difference. I would like to thank Federciclismo, Federginnastica, FIJLKAM and Federvolley who were the stars of the last events. Apart from South Korea, all of the countries finishing ahead of Italy have larger populations. I suffered a lot during these 16 days, I fell ill immediately, but I had a duty to be there come what may. Being close to the athletes, among them. I felt a sense of pride every time I heard the anthem and saw the Italian flag, for the meaning it represents and for all people who dedicated themselves to achieve these extraordinary results. I'm happy that everyone was satisfied with the service given to athletes, the work carried out by the team led by the Head of the Delegation, Carlo Mornati, the choices made for the preparation and the targeted investment being made during the planning phases. These relate operations that began well before the start of the games and involved projects with many Federations, which, using foresight, left nothing to chance. Casa Italia was our pride and joy, offering a warm embrace to those who followed us, providing an irreplaceable point of reference".

The rest is entrusted with the numbers and statistics. The average age of the medallists, a total of 69 (10% more than London) for 72 podium finishes in total, stood at 27.21: a year and a half less than London, two years and a half less than Beijing, only in Los Angeles was there an average lower age. In this regard, the data showing 25 as the average age of a gold, 2 and a half years less than London and 3 and half years less than Beijing, is significant. The number of medal winning countries has grown, 87 compared to 85 in London and 86 in Beijing, also on the rise is the number of countries taking home at least one gold: 59 in Rio, compared to 54 from the previous two editions. It has been the most significant games for team sports: in Athens we won 4 medals with 8 teams, in Rio 3 with 4, therefore a higher average (75%).

Fifteen regions claimed medals, compared to 13 in 2012 (Piedmont, Trentino and Abruzzo are the new additions, while Calabria slips off the list): Lazio was the most titled (ahead of Tuscany, Liguria and Sicily), regarding cities, Rome came top with 6, followed by Catania and Naples. Giannelli (volleyball, 20 years old) and Pellielo (skeet shooting, 46 years old), both silver medallists, represent the youngest and the oldest members of the team to make the podium in Rio. It was the first time ever that two teams in the same sport (Water Polo) both stepped onto the podium. There were record podium finishes for FIN (8) and Target Shooting (5). Niccolò Campriani became the 5th athlete in the history of Italian sport to win two individual golds at the same Games after Nedo Nadi and Ugo Frigerio in 1920, Sante Gaiardoni in 1960 and Domenico Fioravanti in 2000, Gregorio Paltrinieri was the first to win a gold in long distance events in the pool. Elia Viviani won Italy's first gold in the omnium. The duo of Cagnotto-Dallapè won Italy's first Olympic medal in women's diving; Lupo and Nicolai won Italy's first ever medal in beach volleyball.

Gabriele Detti, following on from Calligaris, Fioravanti and Rosolino, becomes one of only 4 Italian swimmers ever to step onto the podium twice at the same Games. Tania Cagnotto won her medal 36 years after her father, bronze in Moscow, Rossetti won his medal 24 years after his father, bronze in Barcelona, while the Garozzo brothers won medals at the same edition here in Rio, as did the Presciutti brothers in water polo, just like the Porzio brothers in Barcelona.