Italian Results - News and Notes

[Pakilo]

Another year without the Memorial Nebiolo in Torino? It was supposed to be on schedule again this June.

[Sasuke]

Another year without the Memorial Nebiolo in Torino? It was supposed to be on schedule again this June.

Unfortunately. Last year they said it was going to skip one year to return better than ever this year but... they didn't say anything and cancelled it also this year. It's not the first italian meeting that leaves the calendars... "notturna di Milano" is no more on the programmes and "terra sarda" is no more an international meeting but only national one.

[gm76]

Niki Bakogianni held the record before with 33cm above her height with her 2.03m in Atlanta

Great jumper was Antonietta. Unlucky to compete in the Vlasic/Chicherova/Slesarenko/Hellebaut era but she had a great WC resume. She was really unlucky on Olympic years though.

[Pakilo]

Unfortunately. Last year they said it was going to skip one year to return better than ever this year but... they didn't say anything and cancelled it also this year. It's not the first italian meeting that leaves the calendars... "notturna di Milano" is no more on the programmes and "terra sarda" is no more an international meeting but only national one.

It's good that Rovereto and Padova still live and they are always on RaiSport.

[Sasuke]

Our top athletes were competing at Golden Gala but... many of them underperformed badly.

LJ Vicenzino (6.57) actually pretty good for her
PV and SP Secci and Stecchi no marks for both. Both showed a lot of potential in young categories with medals but then failed to deliver. Secci PRed this winter (19.5 shot) but then had problems and struggled.
M100b Ferraro had a good race, but more known sprinters like Obou, Tumi and Riparelli struggled.
M200 Desalu and Marani, both 20 mid to low sprinters at their best, had horrible races finishing in 21.5
W400 Grenot not sharp at all yet.
W200 Hooper terrible shape, one second off her pr, dead last.
M/W 400hs both good, Capotosti actually PRed while Pedroso's outing was much better than her 200hs in Manchester.
WHJ Trost bad, just 1.85m.
M110hs Fofana bad, just 13.80.
M800 Benedetti good 1.45.flat, one of his best ever.
MJT Bonvecchio good 79.high mark.

A good news on the other hand. Marta Zenoni (1999) smashed the italian youth record in 800m running a strong 2.03.40.

[Sasuke]

16 yo Filippo Tortu smashed Andrew Howe's 200m national youth record with a strong 20.92 clocking. So far he is Italy's top 100m sprinter. This is both exciting and disappointing. From Birmingham Alessia Trost jumped 1.91m (sb) and Gloria Hooper bad 400m (54.mid) in a poor race.

[Pakilo]

Good sign for Fabrizio Donato's return.

Surprising win for Benedetti with enjoyable commentary from Bragagna!

[Sasuke]

Italy's team was not the best possible given the many (too many) injured people who couldn't compete. The sixth place was almost a miracle, since many of our athletes often underperforms when it counts. Not this time. Actually, many of them were close to their best even in races where the others were down (MDT, MJT...).

Donato hadn't competed outdoor yet and his victory was a good sign. The problem with him is obviously age, he is almost 40 and in the triple jump he has to select very few competitions. Benedetti was a shocking. He usually runs well at Golden Gala where he finds a great race but this time he ran a perfect race. Almost even pace and a great last homestretch. Very close to his pr of 1.44.6.
Other good results came from Trost (1.94 was actually a big season best for her, even if we expect a lot more), Fassinotti (2.28 not bad at all, even if in Oslo he was way better), the two 4x100 and others. The only person who underperformed badly was the pole vaulter Malavisi who NHed at 3.95.

BTW, a good result from our youth championship was Marta Zenoni's (1999) 1500m. She ran a solo 4.14.5; will be our best hope in Cali, even if she is running 800m there.

[Pakilo]

Italian Champs this weekend , Torino
results here--- http://www.fidal.it/risultati/2015/C...TSBYEVENT2.htm

[Sasuke]

Let's make an update. Best result in recent times was Tamberi's high jump record of 2.34; together with Fassinotti, they two are two of the few possible medals for Italy at worlds.

At WYC Stefano Sottile won gold in the HJ with an equal personal best of 2.20 while Marta Zenoni got a bronze medal in the w800. Good for her but many in Italy expected a gold. At Euros, Under23 and junior, we got some medals and some national junior records.

Italian championships are underway but do not expect great results from there. In Turin the the wind is often a headwind and humidity is strong.

[Sasuke]

As I was saying, not a great edition. Overall, best results was Fassinotti's 2.30 (he almost jumped 2.35 on his second attempt, the bar falling some seconds after his landing) in a series which was 2.24 (first) 2.30 (first) 2.35 (XXX).
Tamberi didn't start because has been having a neck problem after London DL... he won't probably jump in Stockholm either.

Grenot won the 400m with a not-so-great 51.5 while Donato jumped 16.91 to qualify for WC. Capotosti went slightly under 50 in the 400hs while Pedroso clocked 55.9 in the female race. Benedetti won the M800 looking comfortable in 1.47 flat, next stop for him Stockholm DL. Marta Zenoni, 16 yo, won the 800 with 2.04 after a 59.8 first lap; she was fading badly on the homestretch but reacted well and won in front of Baldessari and Mattagliano (both timed 2.04.X).

Other results were not that special.

[Pakilo]

I knew Straneo had to cancel the WC but not to see one Italian woman in the marathon as well as 5000/10000 is very sad.

I hope Libania Grenot finally makes the final. Hasn't been a great year for her but even when it was much better WC/OG final always slipped away from her.

[Sasuke]

Well, the lack of women in marathon sounded strange also to me. No Incerti or Console for example. But I think they would have brought them only if Straneo was in, given the fact it's going to be a hard race also because of the heat and climate. 5000/10000 is a problem, youngsters are indeed too young (Pietro Riva won gold at Euro juniors but his record is over 30 minutes) and veterans are switching to the marathons (La Rosa, Meucci, Lalli for the males) or not at world level (Weissteiner won another national title, but couldn't break 15.30 this year).

As for Grenot, she gave it a try in Torin at NC but faded a bit and clocked 51.5. She is clearly not in the shape of last year where, given the regression of women's 400m, she was almost a lock as a finalist.

[Sasuke]

Huge result from Italy's Carolina Visca at EYOF in Tbilisi, Georgia. Just 15, so not a youth (she couldn't compete in Cali because she was too young), she smashed the EYOF record and her personal best with a huge 60.09 throw with the 500g implement. Another age record from her. She is already the best javelin thrower in Italy.