CASSARA Andrea

Personal Information

Family Wife Elisa Albini

Residence Brescia, ITA

Occupation Coach, Police Athlete

Languages English, Italian

Higher education Sports Science - University of Brescia: Italy

License number 03011984003

Club

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Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? He first tried the sport at age five.

Why this sport? He began fencing at his local club because it was close to his house.

Club / Team Scherma Brescia [ITA] / CS Carabinieri [ITA]:

Training Regime He incorporates boxing into his training schedule.

Handedness Left

General Interest

Hobbies Spending time with family and his dog. (tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020)

Hero / Idol Italian footballer Alessandro Del Piero. (tuttojuve.com, 26 Mar 2013)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Ambitions To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (tokyo2020.org, 27 Oct 2020)

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)