Another day, another blow to the guts for combat sports fans at the Paris Olympics. As the 33rd Olympic Games rage on, it seems like catching a break from injuries is becoming a much tougher ask with each day. While tending to injuries is essential for any athlete to ensure their health, feeling the heartbreak of having to withdraw from the biggest sports tournament in the world while standing on the cusp of securing a place on the podium is never easy.

However, for Italian taekwondo star Vito Dell’Aquila, there weren’t many options but to forfeit the dream of defending his gold from three years ago. Understandably, his fans are also grieving over the saddening end to his Olympic run.

Injury claims its latest victim at the Paris Olympics

23-year-old Dell’Aquila was one of the favorites to win gold in the men’s 58kg taekwondo weight bracket, and he started off in the City of Love quite impressively too. After cruising over his Kazakhstani and Hungarian opponents in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals respectively, the 2022 World Championships gold medalist reached the semis in style where he faced Gashim Magomedov of Azerbaijan. However, the first-time Olympian pulled off a massive upset as he defeated the Italian 2-0.

However, a chance to redeem the loss was on the table as Dell’Aquila was set to face France’s Cyrian Ravet in the bronze medal bout. However, as per a post on X, Vito opted to pull out of the match due to an injury in his left thigh. “The Italian will not make the final for the bronze. What bad luck,” reads the caption of the post when translated from its original Italian.

However, the post also notes that Vito’s skills should be beyond reproach with him having an Olympic gold under his belt despite being so young of age. And yet, no matter how hard the effort to look forward, fans can’t help but feel the pain.

The community weeps at the missed opportunity

“Crazy day today,” writes Alessandra in her post on X, as she mirrors what millions of Italian fans are feeling right now. Considering how injuries have become a mainstay of the 33rd Olympics, it’s been a crazy ride at the French capital so far, but for Italian fans, today justifiably will hurt even more acutely.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics was labeled as “cursed” by many for the unprecedented challenges it created. From negotiating the COVID-19 Pandemic to human rights violation allegations to the fiasco that revolved around the American and Russian figure skaters, the Beijing Games had it all. And yet, Marika thinks even that was a better scenario than the things that keep unfolding in the City of Love. “These Olympics are more cursed than Beijing 2022,” rightfully says this fan.

However, considering how Dell’Aquila is still young, Anita thinks the taekwondo star is most likely to get his shot at redemption four years later when the USA hosts the 2028 Games. “Lollo we make up for it in Los Angeles, twenty-twenty-eight, together with Pippo Macchi, Vito Dell’Aquila,” her comment offers some much-needed hope for the others.

“Vito Dell’Aquila injured guys this is too much,” sounds the frustrated emotions of another fan who pondered the chances of the newspaper headquarters being invaded by curious fans who would want to know full details of what caused Vito to step down in Paris.

“It hurts very much to see Vito Dell’Aquila not being able to fight… It was a certain medal!” laments Pierre Clement who, like many others, was looking forward to another medal being added to Italy’s tally on the grandest stage of them all. Are you also a taekwondo fan who was itching to see if Vito Dell’Aquila could defend his Olympic successfully? How sad are you to see him crashing out of the tournament? Tell us!