Mattia Furlani at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 (© Getty Images)
Italy has named a 26-strong squad for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, featuring a mix of global medallists, European champions and rising talents.
The team is led by Mattia Furlani, the defending champion in the long jump. The outdoor world champion recently equalled his indoor PB of 8.39m and heads to Poland off an undefeated indoor campaign so far.
Furlani is one of several strong Italian medal hopes in the field events. European indoor long jump champion Larissa Iapichino will look to challenge for a global medal, while Andy Diaz Hernandez returns as the defending champion in the triple jump. In the men’s shot put, Leonardo Fabbri arrives as one of the event favourites after throwing a world-leading 22.50m this season.
Zaynab Dosso will be one of the main contenders in the 60m. The world indoor silver medallist has been in excellent form this season, clocking 6.99 to sit joint-top of the world list heading into the championships.
She will be joined in the 60m by rising talent Kelly Doualla, the European U20 champion at 100m and 4x100m, who at 16 will be the youngest athlete competing at the championships.
Meanwhile, world and Olympic medallist Nadia Battocletti will make her World Indoor Championships debut in the 3000m.
Italian team for Kujawy Pomorze:
WOMEN
60m: Zaynab Dosso, Kelly AM Doualla
400m: Alessandra Bonora
800m: Eloisa Coiro, Laura Pellicoro
1500m: Ludovica Cavalli, Marta Zenoni
3000m: Nadia Battocletti, Micol Majori
60m hurdles: Giada Carmassi, Elisa Di Lazzaro
Long jump: Larissa Iapichino
Pentathlon: Sveva Gerevini
MEN
60m: Samuele Ceccarelli, Filippo Randazzo
1500m: Pietro Arese, Federico Riva
60m hurdles: Oliver Mulas, Lorenzo Simonelli
High jump: Christian Falocchi
Long jump: Mattia Furlani
Triple jump: Andrea Dallavalle, Andy Diaz Hernandez
Shot put: Leonardo Fabbri, Nick Ponzio
Heptathlon: Dario Dester
