Italian Results - News and Notes

[Sasuke]

I was not too sure I wanted to open this thread, because in Italy senior athletes are quite weaks compared to the other states. In facts, we have a very few athletes we can define of "International Level". BUT, we have some very interesting youngsters.
Today in Gavardo:

Filippo Tortu (16 years, still a youth) clocked national youth record in the heats (10.34 with no wind, very close to european record of 10.31). Marta Zenoni and Andrea Romani (both 1999, so first year as a youth) posted impressive times of 2.05.63 and 1.50.16 in the 800. Close to Rieti, Carolina Visca (2000, so... still not a youth) improved his world age 15 best in the 400g Javelin throwing a massive 58.88 (already threw 57.45 with the 500g this year!).

As a contrast, top italian sprinters Tumi and Cerutti couldn't break 10.50 in the heats where WIC Richard Kilty was the fastest with 10.20.

[Pakilo]

I was pleasantly surprised to see Eleonora Giorgi in second place at European Cup. At least race walking in Italy stays at high level.

[Sasuke]

I was pleasantly surprised to see Eleonora Giorgi in second place at European Cup. At least race walking in Italy stays at high level.

Well, yep, I was forgetting completely that kind of races. The women are very strong, behind her there is veteran Elisa Rigaudo (coming back from second childbirth already running 1.28 for the 20km) and Antonella Palmisano. And also young Noemi Stella. The male sector is not that great: after Schwazer's ban and Brugnetti's retirement our males have been struggling a bit.

BTW, Kilty won in a new personal best (10.09 +1.7w) in front of young Filippo Tortu (10.33, improved again) and some veterans. Lewis Francis over 10.50, he is done.

Another good italian result is 39.26 300m from Elisabetta Vandi (2000), she already ran 25 flat indoor for 200m and 1.34 for 600m.

[Pakilo]

I haven't heard a word on Antonietta Di Martino since her injury problems and never seen anything about retiring. Can we expect her? She will be 37 soon.

[aaronk]

I was not too sure I wanted to open this thread, because in Italy senior athletes are quite weaks compared to the other states. In facts, we have a very few athletes we can define of "International Level".

Your Italy thread is VERY welcome...IMO.
I love these threads from the different European countries.
They offer a much clearer view of what's what and who's who (on the European front) than having just ONE continental European thread!

Please continue it!
Thanks!

[KevinM]

U23 athlete Jacobo Lahbi, competing for Alabama, ran a PR of 1:46.79 to place 6th (!) at the SEC meet last weekend.

I can't recall many (any?) other prominent Italian collegians in the US. Anyone know of others?

[wamego relays champ]

I can't recall many (any?) other prominent Italian collegians in the US. Anyone know of others?

Hammer thrower Gianlorenzo Ferretti (a 24 year old soph at Minnesota) barely cracks the top 50 in Europe, but here in the U.S. he is a potential scorer at the NCAA Championships.

He set his second personal best of the year at last weekend's Big 10 Championships (69.65/228'6") for 3rd place behind a great competition between Lihrmann and Enekwechi (both over 72m).

He currently ranks 8th on the NCAA Div I list.

[Sasuke]

I am glad you like it. Here I am trying to answer your questions...

I haven't heard a word on Antonietta Di Martino since her injury problems and never seen anything about retiring. Can we expect her? She will be 37 soon.

Unfortunately the Italian Federation, differently from others, don't give us many news about our top athletes. Many information we can find are directly from the athletes or from newspapers like "Gazzetta" etc...

About Di Martino. She hasn't competed since 2012 (!!) but it's still in the federations programs. She was supposed to compete at least once indoor but didn't show up but said (some months ago) she was not going to retire without competing at least once more. Sincerely, I don't know if we are going to see her again on the stage. A huge talent, but a return at her age is quite difficult (think of Ariane Friedrick, who was never close to her best again).

U23 athlete Jacobo Lahbi, competing for Alabama, ran a PR of 1:46.79 to place 6th (!) at the SEC meet last weekend.

I can't recall many (any?) other prominent Italian collegians in the US. Anyone know of others?

Jacopo Lahbi is the son of a great middle distance runner from the past (Faouzi Lahbi) so talent is in his genes. Even if not listed on the sites, he did run 1.47.5 already in 2013. Then he moved to the USA where ran tons of races, often better indoor than outdoor. This year he finally seems to be blooming. He is quite good also at 400m (47.75 alone at regionals in Italy last year).
At the moment, he is at least the second best 800m runner in Italy, because unfortunately only Giordano Benedetti (1.44 PB, 1.47 SB) could be close to international level.

Prominent collegians? Not so many, unfortunately. A part from him and Ferretti we have Joyce Mattagliano (55.5 400 / 2.06 800), Jacopo Spano (20.97 200 PB from last year), Luca Cacopardo (good 400 hurdler, WJC semifinalist, struggling this year), Gianpiero Ragonesi (17.70 shot, 55 discus) and some others.

[26mi235]

Since most of the US collegiates are under 23, how does he stack up against the U-23s in Europe. And, of course, very few Americans start throwing the Hammer until college, including Lihrman. By the way, the college student who tutors my son is from Rice Lake (pop ~ 7000?) knows Michael Lihrman and for the first two years he was at a DIII school before transferring to UW-Madison. So he has had a couple years of relatively low-level coaching and then two years of good college coaching to get to 75+ meters (and ~25+ meters in the Weight). [Interesting, he did not come down to Madison with the other Minnesota throwers for the Twilight meet on 5/08; I did not see him then and he is not in the .]

Also, as a 24-year old sophomore, how long can he remain eligible for DI athletics?

[norunner]

Since most of the US collegiates are under 23, how does he stack up against the U-23s in Europe.

For pure numbers, the EAA has European U23 season and alltime-lists on their webpage:
2015: http://www.european-athletics-statis...23&Season=2015
alltime: http://www.european-athletics-statis...oor=0&List=U23

[Sasuke]

It's not a result, but a pretty sad news. Annarita Sidoti, one of Italy's best race walkers passed away today at the age of 44 after spending years battling (and losing to) cancer.

BTW, today there was a pretty good competition in Discus. All the throwers got season or personal best so probably wind conditions were great.

MDiscus: Faloci 62.50 (SB) Kirchler 61.89 (SB) Bianchetti 61 (with 1.75kg, great result from him, almost a national record)
WDiscus: Aniballi 58.55 (PB) Bordignon 56.58 (best result from 2012)

[Pakilo]

It's not a result, but a pretty sad news. Annarita Sidoti, one of Italy's best race walkers passed away today at the age of 44 after spending years battling (and losing to) cancer.

Sad. I remember her joyful tiny figure.

[Sasuke]

Some updates:


Antonietta di Martino officially retires today. A great talent, her technique is the best I have ever seen in a female high jumper. If only she had had less injuries she could have gained more than what she accomplished. Not a bad carrier at all, though. Just a shame we can't see she jumping at least once more. She strongly wanted to return but her body just didn't allow her. She is now 37, a difficult age for a comeback in a discipline like that.

Golden Gala is taking place tomorrow in Rome. Italian presence is not great, but there is the outdoor debut of Alessia Trost against all the best (minus the americans) women. Veteran triple jumper Fabrizio Donato (London Bronze medallist) should have opened his season as well but at almost 39 years he has often small injuries which prevents him from competing. Our top female sprinter, Libania Grenot, is in the 400m but she just broke 52 in Eugene and she is far from her best shape.
BTW, Italian presence is quite small, no more than 1 (maximum 2) athletes for race, the majority in NON DL races.

[Pakilo]

Some updates:


Antonietta di Martino officially retires today. A great talent, her technique is the best I have ever seen in a female high jumper. If only she had had less injuries she could have gained more than what she accomplished. Not a bad carrier at all, though. Just a shame we can't see she jumping at least once more. She strongly wanted to return but her body just didn't allow her. She is now 37, a difficult age for a comeback in a discipline like that.

And here it is...
Not to forget her height is only 1.69 (officially)

[Sasuke]

And here it is...
Not to forget her height is only 1.69 (officially)

1.69.5 as she uses to say. 34 cm more than her height. I think only Inika McPherson did better... even if her 2.00m was cancelled due to doping (cocaina I think).