European Athletics: Ceccarelli, Bocchi, Battocletti and Fantini, poker of victories and first place

by our correspondent Andrea Buongiovanni

@abuongi

June 24th
– CHERZOW (Poland)

Samuele Ceccarelli sealed a day to remember for blue athletics. The revelation of the year from Massa, in the last race of the first of three days of the European team championships, wins the queen event, the 100m, equaling his personal best with 10”13. After the successes of Tobia Bocchi in the triple (16.84), of Nadia Battocletti in the 5000m (15’25”09) and of Sara Fantini in the hammer (73.26), the tricolor poker is served. Together with the leadership in the general classification. The national team led by coach Antonio La Torre, after 12 of 37 matches, with a significant overall performance, looks at everyone from top to bottom. And also with an important margin over their pursuers: Great Britain (no individual success) is at 8 and a half points, Poland as the hosts and outgoing champion at 14. It should be remembered that Italy has never won a competition which, despite different denominations and formats, did it come to life in 1965? Many formations, it shouldn’t be hidden, have weight absences for many reasons. The technical value of certain services is relative. But the Azzurri, on a very sultry day and in a stadium as beautiful as it was empty, had the merit of practically all expressing themselves to the maximum of their possibilities. To clarify: of twelve athletes involved, six have signed the season, two the staff.

What a sprinter

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In the Italian house, among the few absent, the most illustrious is right in the 100: Marcell Jacobs. But Ceccarelli is a more than worthy substitute. Indeed, calling it a substitute today is an understatement. The 23-year-old future lawyer is in the third lane: despite a 0 ”179 shot reaction, he has a good exit from the blocks. Compared to the Golden Gala, his first true 100 of his career, he then remains “low” for longer. And it’s there, with his most effective weapon, that makes the difference. When he pulls up he is in front of everyone. From 20 to 60-70 is a show. Later on, however, chasing the peak speed, he also stiffens his chest and runs the risk of going over-revving. But he is good at resisting and closing with a 1/100 on the 21 year old Dutch Bouju (10”02 this year) and with 3 on the British Azu, current European bronze. «I “got in” well, I pushed hard – says Samu, at ease even with those who interview him in English – then I should have remained more relaxed: between now and August I will improve, but it means that I have other margins. In the meantime, I’m happy to have given the team success. Marcel? I’m convinced he’s happy with my performance and I hope he’ll come back soon».

Super Jockeys

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Chronologically, Fantini opens the afternoon: among the participants she boasts the second best size 2023, but starts with a 73.02 which forces the others to chase. Then, with success in the pocket, on the sixth launch here is the 73.26 which equals the seasonal one.

What Battocletti

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Battocletti’s affirmation is also of great authority, fresh from a good 28 in a university exam: tourist pace up to 4000, then Nadia shoots 2’50”04 in the last 1000, 59”53 in the last 400 and 29” 22 in the last 200. And the rivals are left with crumbs. It is she, in the fifth round of the day, who takes Italy into the lead for the first time.

Bocchi is there

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Then Bocchi: in turn he closes the discussion early, in command from the second attempt with 16.78, then updated to the third with 16.84. Daisy Osakue’s second place with 64.35 on the disc, 22 cm from her fresh Italian record, is almost worth a victory. Everyone lives up to the predictions. Go even further, in terms of performance, Lorenzo Benati in the 400m, 8th with a personal best of 45″53 and Claudio Stecchi in the auction, 5th with 5.80 and penalized, due to the absurd race formula, from a zero to 5.55. The only counter-performance, in the 1800s, was that of Catelin Tecuceanu, again tactically naive. But in a context like this it can be.