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World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that renowned Italian coach Elio Locatelli, the former Director of Development at World Athletics, died on Wednesday (27) at the age of 76.
Locatelli started out as a speed skater, winning seven national titles and representing Italy at the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics. He soon moved into coaching and became head of the national skiing team between 1971 and 1973.
During the 1980s he started coaching track and field athletes. He coached 1984 Olympic long jump bronze medallist Giovanni Evangelisti and, for a brief period, sprinting legend Merlene Ottey. He worked as the technical director of the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL) between 1987-1994 and 2017-2018.
He joined World Athletics in 1995 as co-director of the development department, and then in 2004 became director of the department before leaving the role in 2012.
Between 1980 and 2016 he attended 13 editions of the summer and winter Olympic Games in an official capacity, either as coach or technical director or team manager.
Author of numerous training articles and a regular speaker at sport science conferences, Locatelli was the chief editor of New Studies in Athletics between 2004 and 2012.
“We have lost a piece of Italian athletics history, which over the years has carried out endless tasks of great prestige in national and international sport,” said FIDAL president Alfio Giomi. “I will miss our personal friendship, which our common love for athletics had strengthened over time.”
Locatelli leaves behind his wife Silvana and daughter Emanuela.
World Athletics
