The 10th edition of the HaBaWaBa International Festival required a special testimonial and it’s really hard to find someone more unique than Stefano Tempesti in the world of waterpolo. He’s a legend, and not just for his extraordinary career: so far, he has won 34 trophies with Pro Recco (including 11 Scudetti and 5 Champions Leagues) and 9 medals with the Italian Settebello (including a silver medal and a bronze medal at the Olympics).
Tempesti played 5 Olympics with Italy national team
Tempesti is “the” goalkeeper, the number one in the world for the last decade, a player able to resolve any match with his saves, to influence the game as no other goalkeeper before him. Tempesti is also an extraordinary team-man, a player capable to lead and inspire his teammates. He’s almost 38 years (his birthday is June 9th), but he keeps working hard to improve, as he proved in 2016: a serious right eye injury jeopardized his participation to his fifth Olympics, but Tempesti worked hard to get back to his level and he was crucial for the bronze medal won by Italy in Rio de Janeiro.
Tempesti still wants to have fun, to struggle and to play, always looking at the next goal: after Rio he retired from Settebello, but he could come back to Azzurri in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, number 6 in his career.
Tempesti won 5 Champions Leagues with Pro Recco
Therefore Stefano Tempesti personifies all the positive values of the sport that HaBaWaBa International Festival aims to convey to young waterpolo players. He’s the perfect testimonial for the 10th anniversary of the Festival, where all the little athletes can meet him, talk to him, be inspired by him.
“The HaBaWaBa International Festival – Tempesti said – is important for the whole waterpolo community, not just for the young players. An event that is good for the promotion of waterpolo and sports values. After many summers spent training with Settebello, in the next one I will have some spare time: I am happy to come to Lignano Sabbiadoro to meet so many little waterpolo players”.
