European Athletics Championships in Berin: Day 3 (09-08-2018)

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This time in the morning there are crowds at the exit of the metro, but less at the gates, and in fact there is a little less public than yesterday. You see French, Estonians (being a day of multiple trials), but above all Swiss. Among the Germans, especially the hephatlete Schaefer's fans stand out. This time I really sit down in my assigned seat, also because the volunteer controls me closely: however, it is higher than the other days and above all in the shade. I'm in a good position especially for the  the heptatlon's high jump, but I also see the discus well.

I arrive a little late and miss the first round of the discus qualifications, but I have time to see the beautiful second throw of Osakue, ideally in the eyes of those who attacked her. Later, in the second group, Perkovic's discus flies low, seems to have started badly, but lands at 64 meters.

Then there is the women's long jump, where  Strati at the second jump makes 6.60. I think she has done it, but instead she will be out for 1cm, in a ranking where from 6.65 to 6.60 there will be an athlete for each centimeter. Then the 110hs heats are made, to eliminate 4 athletes in total, but the Italians do not spare themselves: Dal Molin and Fofana shoot 13.40 and 13.50. How many times, in a great event, two Italians have made their PBs in the same race (at least in track and field events)?  Our athletes seem suddenly reborn: even Barontini in 800 will defend himself well, but it will be not enough. Only Aniballi in discus could have done something better. In a false start of 110hs on the board appears the red Ampelmann (the East's man of the traffic light, one of the symbols of Berlin).

The heptatlon's high jump starts, and I would move closer to look at the athletes from closer: the eptatlete always deserve a close look, but I dare not go to the sunny side, even if it is less hot than the other days. I do not even notice that the javelin has also started until Hussong shoots 67 meters. Finished, sooner than expectd the high jump, I'm leaving, like almost everyone: I do not wait for the second group of the javelin, scheduled for an hour later. Before leaving, however, I peek at the Marathon gate and I see that those left are not so few.

Before the evening session, I go for a swim in the Olympic pool. Today it is a normal public swimming pool (in 2009 I thought it was not, but in reality I had not found the entrance). It is the second Olympic swimming pool I visit, after the one in London. If then the excitement was to swim where Phelps and the other big had swum, this time it was to take a bath in a place so full of history. I can not name a swimmer of 1936, although I know the Japanese were going well then. Then the crowding does not allow swimming: there would be two lanes reserved for swimming, but too crowded to be serious (not that I had the intention). I also try the dives, but only from a meter (the trampoline from 3 was open).

At the exit I read a weather alert and the risk of postponement of some races, but there is still the sun and just a bit of wind.  I enter the stadium a few minutes after the beginning of the races: this time I am in the lower deck at the end of the first bend. I'm in a good position for pole vault and I can clearly see the finish line, but the perspective does not allow me to evaluate the order of arrival: in 100hs Bogliolo seems third or fourth, then theoretically still with final chances . Instead, she is fifth: good anyway. In front of me there is a group of Norwegians who have come to celebrate Warholm: they will not be disappointed.

The most interesting competition for us, the qualifications of the men's high jump, takes place on the opposite side. I find it hard to follow it even with binoculars: I can not understand if the bar is cleared by little of by much. Busy with HJ, I do not follow the women' PV much, but HJ ends in time (with Fassinotti first of the excluded, pity) to make me focus on the epilogue of pole vault, very exciting, with 4 athletes still in the race at4 80 and the Greek double, with Stefanidi that will be hugged by Berlino wrapped in the Greek flag. There is also the javelin, but it is a subdued race: no change of position in the last 3 throws and one gets a medal with less than 86 meters. The Germans dreamed of a sweep but they got at least a double.

On the track, we first have the disappointment of Grenot: she starts fasts, arrives at the final straight still in the lead, but then gives in: she is also the first out of the final. Then there is Desalu, who enters the straight line aligned with the first and remains there, apart from . For the aforementioned problems of perspective, I think he came fourth, if not third, instead he is sixth, but after seeing the time of Guliyev you understand that even his will be exceptional and it is: 20.13

Above all, however, there are 3000sc. I start thinking that a placement in the top 8 would be good, but after a first tactical kilometer Chiappnelli takes the initiative. One wonders if he will hold, and he does: it is only surpassed by the two favorites and is bronze. A completely unexpected medal: once we won one like this at every event, now much less.

After the program ended with the amazing final of 100hs, they invite to stay in the stadium for bad weather, but few follow the advice. I too decided to venture out, and I find it does not rain or almost: the rain will be strong only a little before entering the subway.