(1 June 2017) Italy - with the team presented by the Ministry of Education, University and Research and AICA (Italian Association for Computer Science and Automatic Calculation) - is ready to surprise the audience at the 29th edition of the International IT Olympics in Tehran, Iran. After having brilliantly passed the various stages of the selection process - from school to the regional selections to the Italian IT Olympics - the young participants have undergone a training period lasting several months with constant support from teachers and Olympic coaches. From the final group of "possible Olympians" they were later chosen by the Selection Committee of the Italian National Team. It took a great amount of skills and commitment to guide the young participants in this long training journey. Giuseppe Mastronardi, President of AICA explains, "Like every year, the Olympics give us an extraordinary picture of the many excellences that make up the Italian IT sector. Sometimes hidden talents can be discovered thanks to top-level competitions such as this one. Talent, passion for the digital world, and willpower have been the winning recipe to successfully overcome these months of training in addition to regular school activities. In recent years, an important partnership with the academic world developed that increasingly sees cooperation in the training of students for the IT Olympics. This is a positive sign that, on the one hand, demonstrates growing attention paid to young talents by centres of excellence, and on the other, provides children with more advanced training, guiding them towards future academic and professional goals". The National Committee of the IT Olympics has been increasing partnerships with the Italian universities- from the Bocconi University of Milan to the University Pisa. (Red)

THE TEAM

The national team that in just over a month will represent our flag are two students who have won an Olympic gold and silver medal in the past: Jacopo Guoyi Chen from the Liceo Scientifico A. Landi of Velletri (RM) won the gold medal at the 2016 Italian IT Olympics, and Andrea Ciprietti of the Liceo Scientifico M. Curie of Giulianova (TE) - already ranked first in the 2014/2015 Italian IT Olympics - won a silver medal at the 2016 IT Olympics. They are accompanied by two young new entries: Luca Cavalleri from IT Magistri Cumacini of Como and Fabio Pruneri of Liceo Scientifico A. Volta of Milan.