Medals rain on the blue national athletics, the two golds of Larissa (long) and Andy (triple) and the bronzes of Sioli (upper) and Dallava (triple) make the team fly to second place in the medal. And inflame …
You call them if you want … emotions! And how else they could be called? Medals rain on the blue athletics national team on the third day of the Indoor European European Championships in Holland. Adrenaline, beating, chills, hugs as a real team, the terrible boys of the DT Antonio La Torre inflamed. The numbers say: gold in the long jump with Larissa Iapichino, gold and bronze in triple with Andy Diaz and Andrea Dallavalle and the bronze of the “puppy” (despite his 198 cm in height), the 19 year old Matteo Sioli in the upper. But the numerical balance tells a lot, but not everything. Because the blues tonight wrote another piece of sporting history. Exciting, in fact. With all its athletes, even those who have not gone to the podium. We press the Rewind key.
Larissa, new queen
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For Iapichino it is the high school exam, passed with praise. She is the new queen of the long jump, capable of dirtying the Olympic champion, the German Mihambo (only third). The blue vice -champion European in Rome and indoor European vice -champion in Istanbul 2023 starts well and Piazza 6.71, but Switzerland Kalin lands at 6.90 (staff and national record) and scares. Iapichino responds with a null. Kalin has another 6.84. But in the third jump, the blue puts all its class on the platform and power, leaves nothing to the detachment axis and hits a sumptuous 6.94. Now they are the opponents who have to chase. In vain. Instead of Mihambo’s latest attempt, but is “only” 6.88. Larissa is European champion. “I am about to pass out I believed all the way – I commented very excited to the Rai microphones at the end of the race -. I have not pulled back, I wanted to split everything. Today I am proud of me. It is my first senior title and now I just want to have fun with this mentality. Mom Fiona May? Eh, now I have beaten it, I won the title with 3 centimeters more than her”. A little healthy mom-fool rivalry.
Diaz’s paw!
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The Paris Olympic bronze race Andy Diaz leaves uphill. The Italian Cuban triple Italian argues with the run -up. And in the first jumps it seems that there is no dynamite in his feet. It starts better from the valley, with 17 meters to the first. It is even better, the German Heß with a super 17.43. But Andy remains cold. And after a quick summit with his coach Fabrizio Donato (Olympic bronze in triple in London 2012) in the fifth jump flies to 17.71, a world -class measurement: it is the paw of the champion. Meanwhile, Dalla Valle improves up to 17.19, it is not enough for silver. But it doesn’t matter. After two years of ordeal between injuries and performance not up to par, he is a newfound athlete. “I wanted to hear Mameli’s hymn because this was my dream since I arrived in Italy,” commented his golden gold. It is “is my rebirth” – thus summarizes the meaning of his medal Andrea Dallavalle.
in the Gimbo footsteps
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The giant Matteo Sioli, at 19, is the youngest of the blue expedition to the Netherlands and is also at his absolute national premiere. And debuting by putting a continental bronze in the upper jump around the neck, complete with 2.29 staff, it means having talent and Garra like the predestined. Zero doubts. Has Italy already found Tamberi’s successor? Too soon to say, in football, with the stars he often hear “let them grow”, but it is a concept that also applies to Mattia. What is certain is that the Under 20 World Silver last summer has a brazen talent.
The other Azzurri
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On this “medal” evening, the performances of Top by Eloisa Coiro and Catalin Tecuceanu must also be recorded, both fly in the final of the 800 thanks to two tests of strength and pride. And then the fourth place of Manuel Lando (2.26 in the above), the fifth of Roberta Bruni in the auction with Italian record touched at 4.75 and the sixth of a gritty Alice Mangione (51”84 in the 400 running in the second lane). Finally, Baffour and Ceccarelli remain outside the 60 meters, he who was the outgoing champion. But what matters most is that Italy, without the Olympic champions of Tokyo (Tamberi and Jacobs), is there, all right! And the fact that it is second in the European medal, behind Switzerland, proves it. Forza Azzurri, tomorrow, Sunday 9 March, get excited again!
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