Elena Vallortigara jumping to bronze at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava (© Getty Images)
six Italian athletes (20 men and 16 women) will participate in the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz (8-13 July 2008).
The top names who emerged from the Italian Junior Championships held in Turin from 13 to 15 June are middle distance runners Mario Scapini and Giordano Benedetti, triple jumper Daniele Greco, high jumper Elena Vallortigara and javelin thrower Emanuele Sabbio.
Mario Scapini of Milan won the European junior title in Hengelo in the 1500 metres last year. He is coached by Italian middle and long distance running Guru Giorgio Rondelli who guided Alberto Cova and Francesco Panetta to Olympic and World titles in the 80s.
Scapini was beaten at this month’s Italian Junior Championships by emerging star Giordano Benedetti of Trento who scored an impressive 800-1500 metres double at the Primo Nebiolo Stadium in Turin. Benedetti also ran a very promising 800 metres PB of 1:47.52 at the Memorial Graziano della Valle in Pavia in May, a performance which ranks him eighth in the 2008 World junior list.
Two athletes who rank in the world junior top-ten are triple jumper Daniele Greco and javelin thrower Emanuele Sabbio. Greco won the national junior title in Turin with 16.25 in rainy conditions, a result which ranks him seventh in the IAAF World junior list.
Greco also made the headlines this spring when he ran the 100 meters in 10.38 setting the second best junior time in history in Italy behind Pierfrancesco Pavoni’s 10.25 national record. Sabbio is ninth in the javelin world junior list with his 71.77 winning throw from Turin.
High jumper Elena Vallortigara will try to add a World junior medal to her world youth bronze medal won last year in Ostrava and to the European Youth Games won in her magic 2007 season in Belgrad.
Other top names are last year’s European junior bronze medallist Tamara Apostolico in the women’s discus and 10km race walker Federico Tondodonati (seventh at the World Cup in Cheboksary in the junior race).
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Italian team for the IAAF World Junior Championships
Men
100/200/4x100
BAINI Edoardo 1990 UISP Atletica Siena 10.68
GELMI Emanuele 1990 Atl. Vallecamonica 10.75 - 21.59
MANENTI Davide 1989 AS Dilett. Safatletica 10"59 -21.56
MARANI Diego 1990 Lib. Mantova M.le 10.79 - 21"19
ROSICHINI Valerio 1990 Fiamme Gialle G.Simoni 10.74 -21.74
GRECO Daniele 1989 Bruni Pubbl. Atl. Vomano 10.38 -21.28
400/4x400
PEDRAZZOLI Alessandro 1991 Atl. Udinese Malignani 47.94
FONTANA Domenico 1989 G.A. Bassano 47.57
800/4x400
SCAPINI Mario 1989 Pro Patria Cus Milano 1:49.71
BENEDETTI Giordano 1989 GA Fiamme Gialle 1:47.52
1500
SCAPINI Mario 1989 Pro Patria Cus Milano 3:44.99
110 hurdles
REDAELLI Davide Felice 1989 Pro Patria Cus Milano 14.17
ZECCHIN Luca 1989 Atl. Alessandria 14.12
400h/4x400
PANIZZA Giacomo 1989 Atl. Lecco Colombo 51.60
High Jump
CAROLLO Giuseppe 1991 Novatletica Città di Schio 2,15
FASSINOTTI Marco 1989 AS Dilettanti Safatletica 2,14
Triple Jump
GRECO Daniele 1989 Bruni Pubbl. Atl. Vomano 16,25
Shot Put
SORTINO Alberto 1989 Atl. Riccardi Mlano 18,62
Discus
ALBERTAZZI Eduardo 1991 ASA Ascoli Piceno 54,60
Javelin
SABBIO Emanuele 1989 Bruni Pubbl. Atl. Vomano 71,77
10km Race Walking
MACCHIA Riccardo 1990 Falco Azzurro Carichieti 42:10.99
TONTODONATI Federico 1989 C.U.S. Torino 42:50.56
Women
100/200/4x100
DRAISCI Ilenia 1989 Fondiaria SAI Atl. 11"81 - 25.07
BALBONI Martina 1989 G.S. SELF Atl. Montanari 11"80 - 24.45
CORRADINI Lara 1990 Atl. Montecassiano 12.16 - 24"38
MAFFIOLETTI Marta 1991 Italgest Athletic Club 11.98 - 24"44
MUTSCHLECHNER Sabrina 1989 SSV Brunico Volksbank 24.66
D'ANGELO Michela 1989 Italgest Athletic Club 12.01 - 24.61
3000steeple
ROFFINO Valeria 1990 Runner Team 99 SBV 10:42.71
100 hurdles
PENNELLA Giulia 1989 Fondiaria SAI Atl. 13.95
High Jump
VALLORTIGARA Elena 1991 Novatletica Città di Schio 1,82
Pole Vault
BENECCHI Giorgia 1989 C.U.S. Parma 3,95
Triple Jump
D'ELICIO Eleonora 1989 CUS Torino 13,09
DE SANTIS Federica 1989 Asa Ascoli Piceno 13,01
Discus Throw
APOSTOLICO Tamara 1989 Fondiaria SAI At.. 50,99
STRUMILLO Stefania 1989 C.U.S. Ripresa Bologna 48,03
10km race walk
GIORGI Eleonora Anna 1989 Atl. Lecco Colombo 49:48.40
PALMISANO Antonella 1991 Atl. Don Milani 49:30.9
