CUS Padova: 6 gold medals at the National University Championships
04.06.2025
The 2025 National University Championships in Ancona have concluded, and CUS Padova returns victorious with 13 medals and eighth place overall in the medal table.
The 2025 edition of the CNU once again highlighted the extraordinary talent of the athletics team, which managed to win the men's team ranking for the second consecutive year and placed third in the women's ranking. The eighth place in the overall medal table was confirmed compared to the previous edition, but enriched by two more victories. In total, CUS Padova athletes collected 13 medals: six gold, three silver, and four bronze.
Thus, there are six new national university champions from CUS Padova, and for two of them, it is a repeat. In the karate kumite -61 kg category, Federica D'Este won the gold medal, having also been crowned university champion in 2024. Victory also for Adele Toniutto, who after her success in 2023, repeated in this edition in the javelin throw. The student affiliated with Team Treviso improved her performance from two years ago by over two metres, winning gold with a measure of 51.29. First success for Giovanni Gatto, who after winning silver in 2023, this year took the most prestigious medal, winning the 3000 steeplechase with a time of 9:06.13. A similar story for Marcello Donadoni, third in 2024 in the high jump, first in Ancona with a measure of 2.12. Triumph at the first attempt for two freshmen. Giulia Busatta dominated the pole vault, achieving an excellent 3.70. Matteo Miola, lastly, confirmed himself at the highest levels in the sprint, winning the 200 metres in a comeback with a time of 21.52.
Athletics also brought three silver medals. These were won by Keren Mbongo in the hammer throw (60.55), Francesca Ventura in the triple jump (12.37), and the 4x100 relay. Francesca Bergamin, Laura Franceschi, Arianna Bacelle, and Martina Guizzon had to surrender to CUS Milano only at the photo finish (46.67 the time of the Padua team). The picture is completed by four bronze medals. And it is athletics and karate that once again elevate the colours of the University of Padua. Beatrice Vattolo finished third in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:01.36, while Angelo Tuoni earned the medal in the shot put with a measure of 12.87. In karate, in the same category as Federica D'Este, Martina Altissimo climbed to the third step of the podium, while Giulia Marchetti won bronze in Kata.
"These guys keep surprising me more and more," said the athletics team coach, Federico Candeo. "I am very happy with the course of the competitions, even though my predictions were overturned. I thought the boys wouldn't even make it to the team podium, and instead they won. On the other hand, I had imagined a victory for the women's team, which nevertheless achieved an excellent third place. Well done to everyone, especially the many freshmen in their first experience. This is a special competition, where there is a bit less pressure and more team spirit. And perhaps for this reason, extraordinary results emerge."
