Ten medals goal achieved, indeed exceeded. The Italy of athletics goes beyond the goal it had set at the European Championships in Munich, and does so thanks to an immense Yeman Crippa who triumphs in the 10,000 meters, his race in which he was already bronze 4 years ago, with an epic final comeback on the Norwegian of Eritrean origin Zerei Kbrom Mezngi who had started the last lap with a wide margin on the Trentino.
Then at the end of the European event comes the splendid bronze of the 4x100m girls, Zaynab Dosso, Dalia Kaddari, Anna Bongiorni and Alessia Pavese, the latter irresistible on the final straight. “We believed in it, afraid of no one, we promised it”, says Bongiorni after the race.
Italy bronze in 4×100 women
As for the 10,000, that Mezngi arrived in the parts of Oslo as a refugee and then welcomed as one of them by the Norwegians seemed to be able to win, instead Crippa literally demolished him in the last lap thanks to the sharp change at minus 300 meters, to leave the fearful one in place. French Jimmy Gressier who was closely marking Tione’s policeman. Yes, just Crippa, who in March 2020 was stopped several times for investigations by patrols of colleagues while running to train: some citizens of Trento, stationed at the windows, did not know that he was a champion and had reported him to the police because he was on the street, and running, in full lockdown. He preferred not to comment, but fortunately now times are distant. Now there is joy, because in Monaco Yeman completed his fantastic recovery on the Norwegian by winning with that sprint that will be difficult to forget. Bronze to France, not with Gressier, but with that Yann Schrub (27: 47.13) who almost did not believe he had preceded the most popular teammate (27: 49.84). Excellent fifth, very good, the Piedmontese mathematician Pietro Riva, a pupil of Stefano Baldini, today at the personal best, with 27: 50.51.
So Italy, with Crippa dedicating her gold to her family, to her coach Massimo Pegoretti and to the mental coach (he also has one, like Marcell Jacobs) returns to the 10,000 meters after 32 years from Totò’s gold. Antibus in Split 1990, a victory that followed those of the current federal president Stefano Mei (Stuttgart 1986) and Alberto Cova (Athens 1982). “Is it really Italy’s tenth medal? So many have we taken? Seriously, I’m happy – the words of a visibly happy Crippa -: I wanted to finish the European Championship well, and I can finally say that I have taken a gold of absolute value. When there is the form, you can also do these things. I’m super happy. When I saw that the first one (Mezngi ed) was moving and had gained ground, I started too and in the end I took it . Here the bronze in the 5,000 was an ‘appetizer’, this is my race, and I knew I could play it at my best. Did I start too late? No, but I didn’t want to shoot in the second half of race I. I tear apart some people and then, at a certain one, I let someone else do it. I knew that in the sprint I could be the best. “
On the other hand, Elena Vallortigara’s high jump final, a recent world bronze, ends badly: the blue stops at the wrong measurement of 1.90 three times, and is only ninth in a race in which she did not hide the medal ambitions. “I’m really sorry – he says coldly – Maybe after Eugene I was mentally discharged, but 1.90 is a measure that I should jump to in peace, and instead this year it happened to me several times not to exceed it. There is a problem technical who comes up again, in the run-up. It is no coincidence that it ended like this, I will have to talk to my coach. I want to solve it to give satisfaction to my fans: here in Monaco I was aiming for something else “
