Debrecen 2001 - Andrew Howe-Besozzi (© © Allsport)
The Italian Athletics Federation FIDAL will send 22 boys and 13 girls to the IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakesh from 13 to 17 July 2005.
Most of the athletes who will represent Italy in Marrakesh have already competed this summer in the European Youth Olympic Days in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy) where the young national team won three gold medals and one silver medal last week.
The best Italian hope is javelin thrower Leonardo Gottardo who won the gold medal in Lignano Sabbiadoro with a best release of 70.79m. Gottardo set the youth Italian record with the 700 grams implement throwing 73.05m this spring. In 2004 he finished second in the European Student Games in Milan.
Sprinter Matteo Galvan and high jumper Riccardo Cecolin were the other two gold medallists in Lignano. Galvan, who has a 200 metres PB of 21.49, won the European Youth Olympic Days in Lignano in 21.86 with a strong head wind of -1.7 m/s.
Riccardo Cecolin, who also competes in the Combined Events with a best score of 5277 points in the octathlon, improved his high jump PB from 2.07 to 2.14 to clinch the win in Lignano Sabbiadoro.
Italy will also set its best hopes on the walker Matteo Giupponi (45:11.88 in the 10km event) and on triple jumper Fabio Buscella, silver medallist in the European Youth Olympic Days in Lignano Sabbiadoro with a new PB of 15.08m. Buscella emerged in 2003 when he leapt to 14.58m, setting the second Italian all-time best performance in the under-16 category behind the illustrious Andrew Howe.
The women’s team features pole vaulter Giulia Cargnelli (PB 3.90), fourth in Lignano Sabbiadoro, discus thrower Tamara Apostolico (sixth in Lignano with 42.95, just three centimetres off her PB).
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Italian team for the IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakesh (athletes and their PBs):
Boys
100 metres: Luca Berti Rigo (10.95)
200 metres: Matteo Galvan (21.49) and Alessandro Berdini (21.93)
400 metres: Giuseppe Aita (48.65) and Giovanni Falzoni (49.39)
800 metres: Giovanni Bellino (1:51.8) and Mario Scapini (1:54.0)
1500 metres. Giovanni Boccoli (3:57.01) and Merhium Crespi (3:58.41)
High Jump: Riccardo Cecolin (2.14) and Kevin Ojaku (2.00)
Pole vault: Lorenzo Catasta (4.70)
Long Jump: Filippo Musso and Giuseppe Di Gregorio
Triple Jump: Fabio Buscella (15.08), Lorenzo Franzoni (14.95) and Daniele Greco
Javelin Throw: Leonardo Gottardo (73.05)
Discus Throw: Leonardo Favagrossa (52.98)
Hammer Throw: Luca Calzeroni (62.06)
10 km walk: Matteo Giupponi (45:11.88) and Stefano Dal Forno (46:05.9)
Girls
100 metres: Jessica Paoletta (11.91) and Lia Juvara (11.7/12.11)
800 metres: Anna Maria Porcelluzzi (2:10.80)
Long Jump: Silvia Lepore (5.86)
Triple Jump: Federica De Santis (12.41)
Pole Vault: Giulia Cargnelli (3.90)
Discus Throw: Tamara Apostolico (42.98) and Ambra Julita (42.90)
Hammer Throw: Azzurra Di Ventura (50.50) and Micaela Mariani (50.51)
10 km walk: Sabrina Trevisan (24:33.38)
Heptathlon: Jaia Campinotti (4692) and Carolina Bianchi (4667)
