Athletics: Lyles and Fraser, sprint phenomena. Tamberi struggles, but is ‘yes’ to the Europeans

In Montecarlo you fly. As and more than ever. Noah Lyles and Shelly-Ann Fraser never cease to amaze: the American bites the 200 in 19 “46, the Jamaican bites the 100 in 10” 62. Then, in the midst of a series of super results, there is the Kenyan Faith Kipyegon: her 3’50 “37 in her 1500 is the second world performance ever, 30/100 from the world record of the Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba. Overall there is a Diamond League record (7’25 ”93 for Burundian Thierry Ndikumwenayo in 3000), four best seasonal world performances and three meeting records.

Gimbo flop

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Not everyone says the Principality, however. The curse of the Luigi II stadium, for Gianmarco Tamberi, for example continues. The blue, in the top of the tenth stage of the Diamond League, does not go beyond 2.20 (on the second attempt) with an eighth place. The disappointing result is to be added to what happened in 2016, when Gimbo, after climbing to the Italian record of 2.39, attempting 2.41, seriously injured the ligaments of his left ankle, having to give up the Rio Games of the following month and last month’s performance. year, when on the eve of the departure for the Tokyo Olympics, he did not go beyond a worrying 2.21 and a seventh place. In short: the Monegasque Cote d’Azur, despite the fact that the public is always with him, remains bewitched. And in view of the European Championships in Munich starting on Monday (the qualification of the men’s top is scheduled on Tuesday at 18.35) is certainly not a good indication. The consolation – meager – is that the other two athletes from the Old Continent competing, the Ukrainian Andriy Protsenko, fresh bronze champion and the 19-year-old Israeli Yonathan Kapitolnik, do not do better than his own size, finishing fifth and ninth.

Towards Bavaria

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“I was expecting a different performance – says the man from the Marches – I am especially sorry for the many fans who, as always, have shown me great affection. In the heat, I struggle to assess what happened: I understood right from the warm-up that it would not be a day. Maybe I didn’t make up for Monday’s race in Hungary. Even though I won there (with 2.24, ed), they weren’t two positive exits. I wish I was in a different condition. But all this will not preclude participation in the Europeans. Despite everything, I aim for the final, to then play my cards: up to a medal. In a few days everything can change. And then I have the memory of last season: in Tokyo, two weeks after the Monte Carlo flop, I jumped 16 centimeters more. And after all, here only Barshim and Woo, with 2.30, did well. All the others were opaque like me ”.

What a couple

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Meanwhile, Lyles shows that Eugene’s intentions for world records after 19 ”31 are not unrealistic. Mike Norman, world champion of the 400, starts like a madman, but Noah, from the entry into the straight, is the master. In the history of the 200, in addition to Lyles himself, only Usain Bolt (19 “19), Yohan Blake (19” 26) and Michael Johnson (19 ”32) did better. And what if the primacy of the world, under the pace of the Florida man, on September 2 in Brussels, falters? The Fraser, on the other hand, 2/100 from the staff – three times in five days under 10 ”67 – for Florence Griffith Joyner’s record 10” 49, makes an appointment on 26 August in Lausanne. This makes eight times that Shelly-Ann has run the 100 under the “wall” of 10 “70, all in the last two years, six in the last six months. In Montecarlo, with Shericka Williams on the personal of 10 “71 and the Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou at the African record with 10” 72, there is the overall best 100 ever: never, in the same race, the first three han better.

Bravo Mattia

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Mattia Furlani made a good debut among the greats: the 17-year-old from Rieti, European champion under 18 of tall and long, is seventh in the second specialty with a 7.90 (-0.3) obtained on the first attempt which is worth the second performance of his very fresh career , 14 cm from the staff. In the series also a 7.65. The success of the Cuban Maykel Massè with 8.35. The performance of Ayo Folorunso, seventh in the 400 hurdles in 55 “01, 65/100 from his fresh Italian record, in the race won by Jamaican Rushell Clayton with a staff of 53” 33. In the stands, spectator, the monumental Sydney McLoughlin, whose season ended Monday in Hungary. Gaia Sabbatini, in 1500, is tenth (but first in Europe) in 4’04 ”96. The best tricolor placement of the evening is thus that of Roberta Bruni, fourth in the auction with 4.51 and three nulls at 4.66.