Athletics World Championships: Tamberi tries: chases another enterprise up high

Cling to the wings of Gianmarco Tamberi. Hoping they are not ticked. Double-tied to his torments. Italy, lost by the wayside Marcell Jacobs, asks its other Olympic hero for a feat. Gimbo, from 2.45 am Italian tonight (today’s 17.45 of Eugene), will be among the thirteen protagonists of the final of the high. Qualifying on Friday confirmed the many doubts of the eve. But also the competitive qualities of him: the Ancona, forced to 2.25 and 2.28 to attempts with no return – from inside or outside – passed the exam. And now, with all the experience he has in his head and legs, he is ready to play his cards. As many or few as they are. With or without half a beard.

Previous

–

The outdoor world title is the only one missing from his very prestigious collection. But, given the circumstances, even a medal would be an important goal. Especially since in the three previous experiences in the review he did not go beyond two eighth places (in Beijing 2015 and Doha 2019), while in London 2017, one year after the very serious injury in Monte Carlo, he did not pass the qualification. Italy, in the specialty, boasts only one other placement among the top eight: Nicola Ciotti’s fifth place in Helsinki 2005 (with 2.29). While Luca Toso (tenth in Helsinki 1983) and Giulio Ciotti (eleventh in Berlin 2009) made the final without collecting points. In short: there is a need to reverse a course. Without forgetting, of course, the three wonderful podiums of Antonietta Di Martino and the possibilities of the perky Elena Vallortigara appreciated on Saturday.

Eve

–

The blue captain lived the eve with serenity, flanked by his Chiara – less than 45 days to the wedding on 1 September in Pesaro – and his teammates. In the morning he followed and studied the video analysis of Friday’s jumps prepared by dad-coach Marco, with whom he found the necessary balance in view of a common goal, at least to face the contingent situation. In the afternoon he underwent a slight kick of finishing, of activation, with a few small leaps and little more. Avoiding, as he usually does, to try the chases so as not to stimulate the inflammation of the nerve of the left rectus femoris, that of the dead leg, which still causes so many problems, when teased. In between – before, after and during – a lot of rest. Gianmarco appeared calm. Concentrated. But it must be apparent calm. Of an imposition. It is well known what his state of mind is before an important race. He has fire inside.

The technique

–

“In qualifying – Marco explains – Gimbo started badly. He wasn’t racing, he was hard, contracted. Then he was very good, because he gradually managed to find himself and come back with a different set-up. Before the third attempt at 2.28 I just suggested him to pay some attention to the deadlift too, not to move backwards. He moved them forward by about 15 degrees and that was enough. But the key remains the run-up, conditioned by the discomfort in the leg and never stable over the course of the season . I believe that if everything turns out well, it will be worth something more than 2.30 and with a similar measure it will also be possible to get on the podium “. Eleven steps away from glory, therefore: those of his run-up … To redeem a 2022 that, beyond the bronze invented at the Indoor World Championships in Belgrade on the occasion of his seasonal debut, has seen him work harder than he should, with an outdoor staff of 2.30 obtained at the Ostrava meeting on May 31st, but also various considerations.

The favorites

–

In a period in which the specialty is going through a strange process of involution – it is not only because of the post-Olympic year – there is a must-have favorite. It is the South Korean Sanghyeok Woo. After the fourth place in Tokyo with 2.35, he was the most continuous and, technically, the most solid and effective. In February he flew to 2.36 (in Hustopece), in March he won the indoor world title (with 2.34), in May the first stage of the Diamond League (with 2.33), at the home of Mutaz Barshim. Yes, the Qatari. It remains a (half) unknown. There is no question of his talent – as confirmed in qualifying. But he doesn’t seem in the best of days condition. Far, for example, from that of when, in Brussels in 2014, with 2.43, he missed the world record of Javier Sotomayor by two centimeters, which he has held since 1993. However, he goes for the third consecutive outdoor world title: in London 2017 he imposed with 2.35, in Doha 2019, sending the home crowd into ecstasy, with 2.37. A year after suffering an injury very similar and equally serious to that of Tamberi that could also have made him close his career prematurely. In short: not counting him among the favorites would be a serious mistake.

The outsiders

–

Then there are several athletes who show up just a step below. The Americans Shelby McEwen and JuVaughn Harrison, this year much more high jumper than long, the Canadian Django Lovett, captain as Tamberi of his national team and another three or four strong of a 2.30 season. But it is obvious, thinking of the blue, that destiny belongs to him. The charge that has always accompanied him will be necessary to overcome the limits of the moment. But he won’t have to become a boomerang. Go Gimbo, give us another wonder.