Local boy Vizzoni continues return from back injury at Italian championships

Local boy Vizzoni continues return from back injury at Italian championships
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
22 July 2002 – Viareggio, Italy - Two Italian records - Francesca Dolcini in the women's pole vault (4.30 m) and Emma Quaglia in the new discipline of the women's 3000 steeplechase (10:16.61) - were the highlights of the Italian Championships in Viareggio, a nice seaside resort on the Tuscan Riviera, this weekend, 20/21 July.

This year the Italian Championships served as trials for the European Championships in Munich, the Italian Federation Fidal having decided to select the national champions in each event subject to them having achieved the EAA entry standards.

The two new Italian record holders were not surprisingly more than pleased to chat about their performances.

Dolcini, a former gymnast as is so often the case with athletes who have been converted to the women’s pole vault said of her 4.30m record -

"I hoped to break the new national outdoor record (the previous one, 4.28 m, was held by Arianna Farfaletti), even though I did not expect it. I had very good training sessions in Formia before the Italian Championships under the supervision of Vitaly Petrov" (former coach of Sergey Bubka and now of the Australian Pole Vaulters of Russian origin Tatyana Grigorieva and Viktor Chistiakov).

Steeplechase champion Quagila, a medicine student at Genoa University was a little more surprised by her record mark - "I did not really expect to improve the Italian record in this race. I began with 800 and 1500 metres but I have decided to run the 3000 steeplechase to try a new discipline in which I have more chances to come to the fore in Italy. At the beginning I must admit that running the 3000 steeplechase was very tough. Now I love this event. "

Local athletics enthusiasts were more than pleased to concentrate on their local hero Nicola Vizzoni, the Olympic silver medallist in the hammer throw. Vizzoni is a local ‘name’ and even the logo of the official programme for these Championships showed Vizzoni throwing the hammer.

Vizzoni won the competition with the greatest ease with a modest 76.35m. "I received strong support from the home crowd and I could not disappoint my friends who came to support me. Unfortunately this year has been very difficult for me because of a back injury which prevented me from training well during the winter. I would be happy if I just managed to qualify for the final in Munich particularly after the many problems which prevented me from doing my best at the European Cup in Annecy and at the Golden Gala in Rome. Now I feel better, even though I have only two weeks to train before the major event of the summer. But I am confident."

Andrea Giaconi, Italian record holder in the 110 hurdles (13.35 set at the European Cup in Annecy) competed in the 110m hurdles heats on Saturday morning after having driven by car through the night from Monaco where he finished third a creditable third in 13.38, beaten by USA's Larry Wade (13.19) and Cuba's Olympic champion Anier Garcia (13.22).

In the national final Giaconi, who had only got three-hours sleep, was surprisingly beaten by two hundredths of a second by Emiliano Pizzoli (personal best 13.43 set in 1998) who clocked 13.74. However, Giaconi was more than pleased with his weekend efforts –

"A third place in a Golden League meeting is a dream for me. The atmosphere at the Louis II Stadium in Monte-Carlo was fantastic. The track was very fast, the support I received from my compatriots who attended the meeting in the fabulous stadium was something I had never experienced before, probably more exciting than at the Olympics and the World Championships."

"The problem was that after the heats I suffered from a terrible headache and for this reason I could not do my best in Viareggio. As regards my goal for Munich I have to qualify for the final first of all. Then let's see what will happen. I am currently ranked fourth on the 2002 European list. Only the first two in the year ranking, Colin Jackson and Stanislav Olijars, are out of my reach. I can vie with the other hurdlers for the bronze medal."

The high jumper Giulio Ciotti cleared 2.28 and failed the three attempts at the height of 2.31. "I am a bit disappointed because I know that 2.30 or more is within my reach. I hope I will manage to jump higher in Munich."

Ciotti, together with his twin brother Nicola (fourth in Viareggio 2002 with 2.16 metres) came to the fore last year when both cleared 2.27m at the same meeting in Bühl (Germany) in the same day. During the winter 2002 Nicola Ciotti and Andrea Bettinelli cleared 2.30 (national indoor record) at the Italian indoor Championships in Genua. These three jumpers together with Alessandro Talotti, who came in second with 2.25 m in Viareggio, make up a very good group of high jumpers and the decision who to select for the three spots in the Italian squad for Munich will be very difficult.

One of the major Italian hopes of a medal at the Europeans is in the women’s triple jump with Magdelin Martinez the World championships 4th placer, who won this weekend in 14.08 ahead of Silvia Biondini (14.04) and Barbara Lah (14.01).

Magdelin, born in Cuba, became an Italian citizen last year a few days before the Edmonton worlds, after her marriage to Italian Beppe Picotti, who fell in love with Magdelin during a holiday in Cuba some years ago. She finished fourth in Edmonton with 14.52  but also had a 14.59 leap in the qualifying round. So far this year Martinez has finished third in Annecy with 14.54 m and was runner-up at the Golden League in Rome with 14.36 m.

Both shot put competitions were totally dominated by the outstanding favourites Paolo Dal Soglio (4th at 1996 Atlanta Olympics) in the men’s event with 20.40 m, and in the women’s competition by Assunta Legnante (silver medallist at 2002 European indoors) with 18.23. Both performances were the best marks so far recorded this year in Italy.

The queen of the 100 metres was Manuela Levorato winner in 11.33 with the greatest ease. "In Munich I will concentrate on the 200 m where only Muriel Hurtis of France, the best 200 m so far this year with 22.51, is out of my reach. I can challenge for the podium. I am looking forward to competing in the 200 m heats on 8thAugust. My other goal in Munich is to reach the final in the 4x100 final together with Vincenza Calì (fourth at the World Junior Championships in Kingston in the new junior national record 23.25), Manuela Grillo and Daniela Graglia."

Italian champions in Viareggio in each event (club names in brackets):

Men -

100 metres: Francesco Scuderi (Fiamme Azzurre) 10.32
200 metres: Emanuele Di Gregorio (Areonautica) 20.97
400 metres: Andrea Barberi (Fiamme Gialle) 46.32
800 metres: Francesco Roncalli (Carabinieri) 1:48.37
1500 metres: Christian Obrist (Carabinieri) 3.39:87
5000 metres: Salvatore Vincenti (Fiamme Gialle) 13.44.04
3000 steeplechase: Angelo Iannelli (Fiamme Azzurre) 8:33.65
110 hurdles: Emiliano Pizzoli (Carabinieri) 13.74
400 hurdles: Laurent Ottoz (Fiamme Gialle) 49.97
High Jump: Giulio Ciotti (Fiamme Azzurre) 2.28
Pole Vault: Ruben Scotti (Atletica Bergamo 1959) 5.30
Long Jump: Nicola Trentin (Fiamme Azzurre) 7.76
Triple Jump: Salvatore Morello (Cus Palermo) 16.07
Shot Put: Paolo Dal Soglio (Carabinieri) 20.40
Diskus Throw: Cristiano Andrei (Fiamme Gialle) 60.24
Javelin: Moreno Belletti (Fiamme Azzurre) 69.35
Hammer Throw: Nicola Vizzoni (Fiamme Gialle) 76.35
10 Km Walk: Giovanni De Benedictis (Carabinieri) 41:12.19
4x100 relay: Areonautica 39.58
4x400 relay: Carabinieri  3.09:49
Decathlon: Paolo Casarsa (Forestale) 7898 points

Women -

100 metres: Manuela Levorato (Camelot Milano) 11.33
200 metres: Daniela Graglia (Sai Assicura) 23.46
400 metres: Danielle Perpoli (Sai Assicura) 52.61
800 metres: Claudia Salvarani  (Fiamme Oro Padova) 2.05:49
1500 metres: Sara Palmas (Cus Cagliari) 4.14:55
5000 metres: Gloria Marconi (Team Sahara Lotti) 15.34:28
3000 metres steeplechase: Emma Quaglia (Cus Genova) 10.16:61(italian record)
100 hurdles: Margaret Macchiut (Sisport Fiat) 13.40
400 hurdles: Monika Niederstätter (Forestale) 56.61
High Jump: Anna Visigalli (Libertas Cento Torri Pavia) 1.85
Pole Vault: Francesca Dolcini (Sai Assicura) 4.30 (italian record)
Long Jump: Laura Gatto (Sai Assicura) 6.41
Triple Jump: Magdelin Martinez (Atletica 2000 Milano) 14.08
Shot Put: Assunta Legnante (Camelot Milano)18.23
Diskus Throw: Agnese Maffeis (Camelot Milano) 60.88
Javelin: Claudia Coslovich (Sisport Fiat) 55.54
Hammer Throw: Clarissa Claretti (Sai Assicura) 64.32
5 Km Walk: Erica Alfridi (Camelot Milano) 20.55:16
4x100 relay: Camelot 45.52
|4x400 relay: Sai Assicura 3.43:14
Heptathlon: Gertrud Bacher (S.V. Lana Raika) 5746