Athletics, Eugene World Cup: Tortu in the semifinal of the 200. “I still have a margin”

From our correspondent Andrea Buongiovanni

& commat; abuongi

July 19
– EUGENE (USA)

Filippo Tortu is there. And how if there is. The financier wins his heats of 200 in 20 “18 (+1.0), 7/100 from the staff who is worth the second Italian performance and enters the semifinal with the ninth overall time. Wednesday, from the fifth lane of the third of three heats, at 4.10 am Italian time (19.10 on Tuesday in Eugene), against baby Erryon Knighton and the Japanese Koki Ueyama, he will go in search of the final that Italy has been missing for 35 years and which he has only reached three times: in Helsinki 1983 with Pietro Mennea bronze and with Carlo Simionato seventh, the same placement achieved by Pierfrancesco Pavoni in Rome 1987. The first two will pass and the authors of the two best times will be rescued.

Confidence

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“I had good sensations – says the Brianza -: I’m not saying I raced controlled, but linear yes, managing the effort. I still have some margin. And this, beyond time, I think was my best 200 ever. Done at a World Championship has its great value. I took advantage of the amplitudes after the start, as I like it, even if sometimes I “open” when it is not needed. I came out well on the straight, in the final I also let go a bit. And I recovered quickly, faster than usual. Good sign. My favorite? Lyles, experience matters. ” The best of the lot, with an easy 19 “98 (-0.3) is the American who precedes the surprising Dominican Alexander Ogando (20” 01 / + 0.5, national record) and Knighton (same 20 “01 / + 2.1). L he only European to do better than Tortu is the British Nathanel Mitchell-Blake (5th with 20 “11 / + 2.1). Nothing to do for Fausto Desalu who, after a quality curve, crashes on the straight, is fourth in his battery with 20 “63, 30th overall and eliminated.

Super Dalia

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Tortu passes, Dalia Kaddari also passes. The Sardinian, with her always very elegant action, is third in her battery with a windy 22 “75 (+2.5), second European behind Dina Asher-Smith (seventh with 22” 56 / + 0.4) and tenth overall. The next round will presumably be uphill, but the first obstacle has been well overcome. Leading the group, meanwhile, is the Nigerian Aminatou Seyni (21 “98 / + 1.1, national record). Dalia, in the semifinal (Wednesday at 3.25) will race in the eighth lane. Inside, among others, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Abby Steiner. Sorry if it’s cheap.

Bravo Ahmed

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Ahmed Abdelwahed, after the 14th place in the Tokyo Olympics, grows up to 12th in the Eugene World Championships: the 8’33 “43, at the end of a very tactical match, does not count. What counts instead is that the financier is the second athlete of the Old Continent after the Spaniard Daniel Arce, 9. Thinking about the European Championships in Munich (15-21 August), where there will also be the Palermo twins Zoghlami, you can think big.

Osakue rejected

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Day-no for Daisy Osakue: the Turin, in the qualification of the disc, is 56.74, null, null, does not go beyond the 28th place and is eliminated. The best? The American Valarie Allman who, after two nulls, is “saved” with a great 68. 36.