Italy's Elisabetta Perrone (434 ) and Erica Alfridi (422) celebrate in Edmonton (© Getty Images)
Rieti, one of the traditional cradles of Italian athletics, staged the 2003 edition of the national championships this weekend, one of the last chances for Italian athletes to test their condition just three weeks before the Paris World Championships (23-31 August).
The nationals, which produced some good results, were highlighted by Andrea Bettinelli’s 2.31m clearence in the men’s High Jump in a high-profile competition. Andrea Bettinelli took 2.27 on his first attempt, then 2.29 with his second try, and 2.31 with a second time clearance. He is now the third italian to qualify for Paris, after Alessandro Talotti (2.30-European Cup in Florence) and Nicola Ciotti (2.30 at the Eberstadt meeting).
Bettinelli’s mark established a championships record and was the third all-time best performance in Italy. He went on to attack the national record of 2.33 held by Marcello Benvenuti but failed his three attempts at 2.34.
“Even before the competition I was sure that a clearance over 2.30 was within my reach. This height gives me more confidence. I achieved the qualifying standard last year during the indoor season but I needed to confirm this result. I did it, so I can be optimistic for Paris,” said Bettinelli.
Giulio Ciotti was second with 2.25. He had a good try at 2.29. Andrea Lemmi, one of the major italian hopes in this discipline after his fourth place at the recent European Junior Championships with 2.23, improved his PB by two cm to 2.25 and made three attempts at 2.27. Alessandro Talotti who had already booked a berth for Paris with his second place with 2.30 in the Florence European Cup, had a bad day at work as he was eliminated at the opening height of 2.18.
Another athlete who can look forward to the World Championships with confidence is Nicola Vizzoni. The Olympic silver medallist in the Hammer throw improved his season’s best from 76.05m to 77.24 with his last attempt. It was his eleventh Italian title. The result is encouraging considering that Vizzoni had sustained recurrent injuries that have plagued him for the last two months.
“A throw over the 77 metres barrier is a confidence booster for me, so I am looking forward to the next World Championships. I did not expect to throw over 77 metres in my last attempt because I had my eleventh italian title in the bag. But when I saw my rivals improving throw after throw I found the motivation to produce a good throw.”
Claudia Coslovich, Vizzoni’s fiancée, won the women javelin with 61.44 over Elisabetta Marin (57.58).
Among those athletes aiming at Paris were the Decathlete Paolo Casarsa who scored 7877 points and achieved the B standard. “I nearly missed my PB of 7918 points, but I am satisfied with the result I scored this weekend. I scored the B standard, so I now wait for the decision of the selectors on Monday. In the meantime I enjoy my second consecutive national title.”
Gertrud Bacher scored 6133 points in the Heptathlon with an excellent 2:09 in the 800 metres, and booked a berth in the squad for Paris.
The first day on Saturday (2 Aug) was highlighted by a national record set by Elisabetta Perrone in the women’s 5 km walk with 20:12.24. Perrone is one of the major Italian medal hopes for Paris in the 20km walk.
“I am in good shape, so I wanted to give a present to Rieti with this record which is a confidence booster three weeks before flying to Paris. I would like to thank my new coach Gianni Perricelli (silver at the World Championships in Gothenburg in the 50 km walk) who has always given me a strong support.”
Nicola Trentin continued his successful long jumping season after his excellent 8.20 in Padua one month ago, by clinching the national title with a windy 8.12 (+2.4 m/s).
Magdelin Martinez skipped the Italian championships to focus on the next IAAF Golden League meetings in Berlin and Zürich but in her place the women’s Triple Jump was won impressively by Barbara Lah, who leapt to a windy 14.34 (she set her PB of 14.33 last June at the Italian Club Championships in Milan behind Martinez’s 14.89 (italian record). Martinez, Lah and Simona La Mantia, silver medallist at the European Under 23 Champs in Bydszgosz with 14.31, will represent Italy in Paris.
The 2001 World Indoor champion Paolo Camossi won the men’s event with a 16.42 triple in his comeback competition after undergoing surgery to his ankle last year.
Unfortunately, Ester Balassini, the Italian record holder in the Hammer Throw (70.43 in Padua on 6 July) has recently suffered an injury which puts her participation in Paris in jeopardy. In her absence Clarissa Claretti, eighth in the European Championships in Munich, won her second consecutive national title with a 66.59 release on her fourth attempt.
Daniela Graglia produced the major upset in the 100 metres. Daniela, a semi-finalist in the 200 metres with 23.20 at the European Champs in Munich, beat Manuela Levorato, who was making her seasonal debut after her early summer was ravaged by a serious Achilles tendon injury.
Graglia recorded 11.70 against Levorato’s 11.80 after running 11.53 in the morning's heats. These times were affected by a strong head wind of - 1.7 m/s. On Sunday Graglia scored the double with 23.68 in the 200 metres.
“This title is a dream for me. I did not expect to win today against Manuela Levorato.”, said an excited Graglia.
“The injury prevented me from training for two months,” said Levorato. I will not compete in Paris. I am not in form, so there is no point in going to the French capital to be eliminated in the first round.”
Alessandro Cavallaro is in the form of his life. After anchoring the 4x100 relay to a win in the European Cup and clocking 20.48 in the Italian Club Champs last June in Milan, he won the 200 metres title this weekend in 20.60 into a strong head wind of -1.7 m/s.
Massimiliano Donati, was edged out by Francesco Scuderi who won the 100m title in 10.48 (-2.4 m/s head wind) in a photo-finish. Scuderi clocked an easy 10.29 in the heats.
Italy can rely on a very good 4x100 relay team. Italy scored a sensational win over Poland and Great Britain in the European Cup in Florence in a world best of 38.42 and remains one of the best Italian hopes for Paris.
Monika Niederstätter set a new championships record with 55.41 in the women’s 400m Hurdles, and so qualified automatically for the World championships with the A standard.
In the absence of 1999 World champion Fabrizio Mori, who had an operation to his Achilles tendon in Finland last May, the men's 400m Hurdles went to the young Gianni Carabelli with 49.51, one hundredth of a second off the B qualifying standard for Paris.
Andrea Barberi took advantage of the fast Rieti track to dip under 46 seconds in the 400 metres with 45.79. Marco Salvucci finished second in 45.91. The 400 metres women title went to Virna De Angeli with her seasonal best of 52.34.
Christian Obrist won the 1500 metres in 3:44.22 with a kick in the last 300 metres. The Polish-born Marzhena Mikalska, who has recently become an Italian, won her first national title in the 3000m steeplechase with 10:21.67.
Emiliano Pizzoli, who was born and lives in Rieti, took the 110m hurdles title in 13.87 into a -1.7 m/s head wind.
Agnese Maffeis won her 33rd title in the Discus with a 58.24m throw (the total includes the titles she collected in the winter throw champs). Assunta Legnante put 18.18m twice - her second and fifth attempt - and won her third national outdoor Shot title in a row.
Cristiano Andrei won the men’s Discus with 61.08 with his last attempt, just one cm better than Diego Fortuna who was leading the contest until the fifth release.
Gianni Gola, the President of the Italian Federation FIDAL, summed up the two days of competitions in Rieti. “This town has always staged great athletics events and these championships confirmed that Rieti is a special place for our sport. Some good results make us confident that Italy can perform well in Paris, although we know that it is very difficult to face the challenge of 210 countries.”
The selectors Roberto Frinolli (responsible for the men team) and Augusto D’Agostino (women team) will officially announce the team during a press conference in Rome on Monday.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Leading results from the Italian Championships in Rieti:
Men:
100 metres (-2.4 m/s): 1 Scuderi 10.48; 2 Donati 10.49; 3 Collio 10.51
200 metres (-1.7 m/s): 1 Cavallaro 20.60; 2 Colombo 21.12; 3 Cuneo 21.13
400 metres: 1 Barberi 45.79; 2 Salvucci 45.91
800 metres: 1 Sciandra 1:48.33
1500 metres: 1 Obrist 3:44.22
5000 metres: 1 Vincenti 13:55.26
3000 steeplechase: 1 Iannelli 8:31.96
110 hurdles (-1.7 m/s): 1 Pizzoli 13.87
400 hurdles: 1 Carabelli 49.51
10 km walk: 1 Manfredini 41:08.03; 2 Brugnetti 41:28.60
Long jump: 1 Trentin 8.12 (+2.4 m/s)
Triple jump: 1 Morello 16.42 windy (+2.2 m/s)
Pole vault: 1 Pizzolato 5.40
High jump: 1 Bettinelli 2.31 (Championship record); 2 Ciotti 2.25; 3 Lemmi 2.25; 4 Finesi 2.23; 5 Bernasconi 2.21; 6 Campioli 2.15
Javelin throw: 1 Pignata 76.71
Shot put: 1 Dal Soglio 19.48; 2 Dodoni 18.35
Hammer throw: 1 Vizzoni 77.24; 2 Paoluzzi 73.76; 3 Lingua 72.90
Discus Throw: 1 Andrei 61.08; 2 Fortuna 61.07
4x100 relay: 1 Carabinieri 39.37; 2 Fiamme Oro 39.70
4x400 relay: 1 Carabinieri 3:11.32
Decathlon: 1 Casarsa 7877 points; 2 Gasparro 7739; 3 Ceglie 7617; 4 Viti 7596
Women:
100 metres (-1.7 m/s): 1 Graglia 11.70 (11.53 in the heats); 2 Levorato 11.80
200 metres (-0.5 m/s): 1 Graglia 23.67
400 metres: 1 De Angeli 52.32
800 metres : 1 Salvarani 2 :03.11
1500 metres : 1 Palmas 4 :15.26
5000 metres: 1 Balsamo 15:44.79
3000 steeplechase: 1 Mikalska 10:21.67
100 hurdles (-1.9 m/s): 1 Macchiut 13.38
400 hurdles: 1 Niederstätter 55.41 (Championships record)
5 km walk: 1 Perrone 20:12.24 (italian record); 2 Rigaudo 21:10.31
High jump: 1 Bevilacqua 1.88
Long Jump: 1 O’Reilly 6.32; 2 Gatto 6.31
Triple jump: 1 Lah 14.34 (+2.3 m/s); 2 La Mantia 13.93; 3 Biondini 13.67
Shot put: 1 Legnante 18.18; 2 Checchi 16.86; 3 Rosa 16.39
Discus throw: 1 Maffeis 58.24
Hammer throw: 1 Claretti 66.59; 2 Gibilisco (born in 1986) 58.01
Javelin Throw: 1 Coslovich 61.44; 2 Marin 57.58
Eptathlon: 1 Bacher 6133 points
4x100 relay: 1 Camelot 45.41
4x400: Forestale 3:42.69
