On Thursday, 20th the Athletics European Junior (or U20) Chaimpionships start in Grosseto and I will be there for the first two days (though not the whole days). The ECH had already been to Grosseto in 2001, and I wanted to go there, but I couldn't because of a surgical operation (gallbladder). However, Grosseto had also hosted the junior championships in 2004, and I was there.
The championships took place in 6 days, I was there for the last 4. While this year I found a hotel 4km. From the stadium (but because I am not staying for the weekend), then I had to stay at 30 km, in a hotel on the Aurelia road. I was with my wife and my son, then three months old, who attracted a lot of attention, from both volunteers and athletes. I remember that a South African, took a picture of him I think he was the future WCH finalist of 400hs Van Zyl, and Botswana girls were also interested in him.
In the first two days, before my arrival, we had already seen the gold in the long jump with Howe and the bronze in women's hammer throw with Gibilisco, another talent that was lost her way. On the four days remaining the main race for us was 200 meters, with Howe who had become the favorite for the absence of a Jamaican, named Usain Bolt, whose name I heard for the first time then: I did not follow the junior competitions and so I did not know he had already won a Junior World Championship and a Youth one. The result was beyond any prediction: at the beginning of the dash it was clear that there was no competition the gap was huge, the surprising time: 20.28. The biggest surprise, though, will be that he would never do better.
Of other future stars I remember Carter in the shot put, who won over a meter, the 110hs, with Robles behind two Americans, but mostly Kerron Clement in the 400hs, who won with a time around 49.20 stumbling on the last hurdle.
About the attendance, I remember that the main stand was quite full, the rest of the stadium a little less. The loudest group were the fans of eptathlete Cecilia Ricali, who came I think 8th, with a score that today senior Italian athletes struggle to make.
Who knows in ten years which future champions I can say I've seen in these days ...
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