domenica 5 agosto 2018

Athletics European Championships in Amsterdam (2016)


The European Athletics Championships are about to start: for me it will be the 5th live (after 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2016) and the 14th overall (from Rome 1974). This time I will talk about the last ones: Amsterdam 2016, I keep the others for another occasion.

The stadium was the historical one of the 1928 Olympics. Inside it was rather uncomfortable: I don't remember having ever come out from a race day with a more painful bottom. What's more, it happened to me a couple of times to choose the place according to the program and then discover that the races had been moved to another sector (especially high jump). There were also few gates, with consequent queues.

The area around the stadium was very beautiful and above all welcoming, in particular the courtyard that served as the "Medal Plaza". You could meet lots of interesting people: American volunteers (yes, at the European Championships! It was an exchange project from a university), Austrian fans of British athletics, Norwegian fans who, in celebrating the surprise victory of the second Ingebritsen in 1500 , tell me that there was a third, 16-year-old one, even stronger: now we know how much they were right. I met almost all the Italian national team that celebrated the bronze of the 4X400, with  Spacca that for the speaker had become Spaccia (that in Ialian sounds like "she sells drugs"). I also remember the German discus throwers Mueller and Craft, very available, who spent a lot of time talking with the fans after the victory ceremony. In a break there was also an encounter with Kira Gruenberg, the Austrian pole vaulter who was paralyzed. Athletes could also be met on the bus for the stadium: I remember Strumillo.

As for the races, in the first two days sometimes the thought came "but why don't I go to watch fencing?" (where Italians do better) , Then there was Grenot's victory (which never seemed in question, but you Always feared she would collapse), the bronze of 4X400 and above all Tamberi. With Tamberi, however, there was a problem: his superiority (with Bondarenko's absence) was so clear that it was not even exciting. During the qualifications, I spent my time supporting Rossi of San Marino, who came close to surprise, then in the final he cleared 2.29, then 2.32, with great ease, while the others were struggling. I felt like a poker player holding a royal flush when everyone else has nothing. 

Of the other Italians, I remember the beautiful path of Folorunso who, starting from the first round (on that occasion the rule was inaugurated, which I do not like, to admit the best directly to the semi-finals) remains fighting for the medals up to the final straight and arrives fourth, the final reached by Strumillo and just missed by Bertolini (whom I did not see, because the javelin qualifications took place outside the stadium), Lambrughi's improvement, not far from the final. I also had a visit to Casa Italia, one morning, finding it empty (in the photos below, is the room with the tables).

Among other races, apart from the aforementioned 1500, I remember pole vault, with Lavillenie entering the race at 5.70, when all the others were already out, and made three fouls. I exult, with the people around looking badly at me (and they were not French), but had just exaggerated: I do not think that even Bubka or Isimbayeva did something like that in a championship. Gold with 5.60 and bronze with 5.50: one of the two races with which one got medals with measures lower than the qualification standard (the other was men's LJ).

One morning Paralympic races were held: the long jump ended quite a bit after the end of the other races, but a good part of the public remained. Rehm wins with 8,03, which would have earned the bronze among the able-bodied. I see his very particular style, compared to what we are used to seeing, and it seems difficult to think that he has an advantage. I think if he may not compete and Semenya may, there's something wrong.

Then there was the half marathon, disputed in a park, going back and forth on the main paeh. Easy to follow, then, except the end, when they left the park, which I could not see, but the positions were already outlined, with Meucci's bronze and Inglese's silver. Immediately after a 10 km started, all open: many participants, some with improbable outfit. Given my leg problems and especially my disaster shape, I did't dare participate (it was also very hot), but it would have been fun











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