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Here I am, back home, describing Saturday, the day of the epic shot put final and a Marathon for few, but for which I had fun like never before in a road race. But here again, let's start from the beginning.
I arrive by taxi with a group of Bahamians, who insist to pay themselves. At the entrance there is a bit of a queue, but much less than yesterday. This time I have an unnumbered seat, at the beginning of the opposite straight. When I arrive I have a wide choice of places, but half an hour later there will be almost none free. The finish line area will remain more empty, but it will also fill up in the evening. Many empty seats will remain only in the second bend and in the family block. I am close to the Ethiopian "curve", which will sing a lot, even with athletes on the blocks, causing problems to starts. I halso see flags from Costa Rica, then I will find out why: they have a very strong hurdler, whom I didn't know. Being a javelin day, there are a good number of Finns, and Pakistani fans will also be heard during the second group of qualifications.
The track races start with the 100hs heats: Bogliolo wins her, taking advantage of McNeal's disqualification, but in the last heat she would have come 5th. The qualifications of women's long jump also start: I am behind, I am not able to evaluate the jumps: In these qualifications there is always the problem of understanding which is group A and which B: this time we have to wait for the second jump, seen that the first to jump are from the same country (France). A disaster for the Italians, which at some point are in the last two places, then close last and fourth last. Even Reese gets the 12th place with the last jump, but then is again overtaken and stays out.
There is also group B of javelin: at the beginning they are all far from qualifying, it seems that conditions are worse than in group A, then Walcott will be the first to qualify and in the end there will be 5 finalists from group B. Among them there will not be the two Germans, who remain very far away: in the row in front of me some people come to discuss the disaster, including javelin thrower Fuchs. The Finns succeed instead in placing one thrower in the final, with the last measure.
There's a one-hour break again, so I go to the fan zone one last time. At the store I buy a bag, as I said I don't like t-shirts: they are more of Asics than of the WCH. I also meet the Portuguese triple junper Costa, who would have been competing if she had qualified. At the information desk they have the program, but only from previous days, they ran out of today's: Friday's, just to have one (and I haven't opened it yet).
Moment of panic on the way back: I can't find my place anymore (and consequently not even the backpack I kept it with)! Then I find out that it was an aisle beyond where I was looking for it. In front of me sat javelin thrower Hoffmann, with his partner. Struggling to stay in his seat: seen from a distance javelin throwers do not look so enormous, especially when compared with the shot putters, but closely they are. I don't want to disturb him, given the result, but others ask him for pictures and he takes them, even smiling.
The track races resume with women's 4X400: after the first heat, Italy just needs to come 4th with 3'28 "or 5 ^ with 3'27 to pass, it seems feasible. Instead Trevisan hits one of the previous leg, Belgium makes a great race and we stay out for 17/100. In the meantime the race for which this day will be remembered for ages has begun: the final of the men's shot put, which takes place on the opposite side compared to the women's one, so that both have taken places on the side opposite of me. Crouser opens: 22.36! Still last year we would have thought of a race already over, instead it has just begun: already at the first throw Walsh makes 22.90! At the second Romani does 22.53 : already, it seems incredible that with 22.36 one wins only bronze, many throws seem much over 22, at a certain point the world record seems about to come, but many are fouls. On fourth, Crouser makes 22.71 and gets into second place, but on last Kovacs throws 22.91! Crouser responds with 22.90, so Walsh with the same measure finds himself third, and remains so because it closes with a no throw.
Meanwhile, track races continue with the men's 4X400: after the first leg Italy is distanced, after the second it is still last, but in the group, after the third is sixth, in the last Re comes back to third place: qualified. Before the second there will be a long pause, because they have to do the presentation of the women's triple jump and mount panels in the middle of the track. TJ will be dominated by Rojas from the first jump, with Ibarguen that, jump after jump, will climb to third place.
After the finals of women's 1500 and 5000, respectively with Hasan's double and Obiri's lead race from start to finish, we close with the 4X100 relays. The usual light games, for the men'sone they play "Bella ciao": won't any Italian tell them that it is not a stadium song? Among women, Italy is last, but close enough: only after the finish I will notice that we are seventh, because China has messed up with the first exchange. Among men, one comes third with 37.43 and fifth with 37.73.
After the stadium program, I have an hour and a half to get to the Corniche for the Marathon, but with these transports you never know. After a long wait, I take the 32 first, where I find the Australian throwing coach and a group of English people, including a very old lady, then a taxi. I know that I will have to walk a little, but the security does not let me approach the Corniche at the nearest point, making me stretch at least 1 km. I arrive that the Marathon has been going for about 3 minutes, and I am 1 km and 195 meters from the finish (it is a 7 km circuit). Not even the shadow of screens, so staying there I would never see how it ends: after the first lap, I gradually approached the finish line, crossing the area where they had blocked me before, the closer we get to the finish line and the more public w see, even if there is certainly no WCH crowd: there are both common spectators and athletes, among whom I recognize steeple chase runner Carro (of course: I recognize him only because I see his badge).
Around 100 meters from the finish there is the largest group of fans: the Kenyan one. There is one who interviews everyone, using a bottle of water as a microphone: of course everyone, including me, says they support the Kenyans. The Ethiopians are close, but less numerous. The tribune area this time is completely off limits for ordinary spectators. This familiar environment, however, creates a party atmosphere that would have been difficult to find in a more crowded competition, like a normal WCH.
Faniel stays behind almost immediately, Meucci shortly after, but for a while he stays close. Rachik remains in the group until a bout fifteen runners remain, then he stays behind too. He will catch up someone on the street, so much so that I hope for he will finish in the 8, but then 3 will recover on him and he will close 12th. Meucci also recovers for a while, but then retires. Faniel will continue to rally until the end (of course I continue to call him that: don't make me write his other surname!), So that when he finishes, 15th, I will notice it only at the last moment because I didn't expect him so soon. At 5-6 km from the end they remain 4: 2 Ethiopians, 1 Kenyan and 1 South African. At one point the latter seems to be able to fool everyone: I approach the 4-5 South African fans to see their possible celebrations. But then the British Hawkins rallies, and at a certain point he also seems to be able to take off: a group of British athletes arrive, among whom I have the impressio to recognize (this time for real) Muir. But then he also surrenders: they arrive in a broup of 3 in the last few meters, and they arrive while I am still thinking about which is the best position to see the finish I will do just in time to put myself in a point where I see the line. Ethiopian double, bronze to Kenya. The Ethiopians celebrate before the Kenyans and, needless to say, nothing happens.
Going out, I meet two American girls in the 2021 World CHampionships shirt: I say to them "See you in Eugene!" I wonder if it will be true. While I am waiting for the taxi, I am offered a car by the organization and I, unwisely, accept. Should I call back some of the curses sent to the organizers? Not at all: he gets lost, he makes me go around the whole city and then he charges me three times more than a taxi driver!
I arrive by taxi with a group of Bahamians, who insist to pay themselves. At the entrance there is a bit of a queue, but much less than yesterday. This time I have an unnumbered seat, at the beginning of the opposite straight. When I arrive I have a wide choice of places, but half an hour later there will be almost none free. The finish line area will remain more empty, but it will also fill up in the evening. Many empty seats will remain only in the second bend and in the family block. I am close to the Ethiopian "curve", which will sing a lot, even with athletes on the blocks, causing problems to starts. I halso see flags from Costa Rica, then I will find out why: they have a very strong hurdler, whom I didn't know. Being a javelin day, there are a good number of Finns, and Pakistani fans will also be heard during the second group of qualifications.
There is also group B of javelin: at the beginning they are all far from qualifying, it seems that conditions are worse than in group A, then Walcott will be the first to qualify and in the end there will be 5 finalists from group B. Among them there will not be the two Germans, who remain very far away: in the row in front of me some people come to discuss the disaster, including javelin thrower Fuchs. The Finns succeed instead in placing one thrower in the final, with the last measure.
There's a one-hour break again, so I go to the fan zone one last time. At the store I buy a bag, as I said I don't like t-shirts: they are more of Asics than of the WCH. I also meet the Portuguese triple junper Costa, who would have been competing if she had qualified. At the information desk they have the program, but only from previous days, they ran out of today's: Friday's, just to have one (and I haven't opened it yet).
Moment of panic on the way back: I can't find my place anymore (and consequently not even the backpack I kept it with)! Then I find out that it was an aisle beyond where I was looking for it. In front of me sat javelin thrower Hoffmann, with his partner. Struggling to stay in his seat: seen from a distance javelin throwers do not look so enormous, especially when compared with the shot putters, but closely they are. I don't want to disturb him, given the result, but others ask him for pictures and he takes them, even smiling.
The track races resume with women's 4X400: after the first heat, Italy just needs to come 4th with 3'28 "or 5 ^ with 3'27 to pass, it seems feasible. Instead Trevisan hits one of the previous leg, Belgium makes a great race and we stay out for 17/100. In the meantime the race for which this day will be remembered for ages has begun: the final of the men's shot put, which takes place on the opposite side compared to the women's one, so that both have taken places on the side opposite of me. Crouser opens: 22.36! Still last year we would have thought of a race already over, instead it has just begun: already at the first throw Walsh makes 22.90! At the second Romani does 22.53 : already, it seems incredible that with 22.36 one wins only bronze, many throws seem much over 22, at a certain point the world record seems about to come, but many are fouls. On fourth, Crouser makes 22.71 and gets into second place, but on last Kovacs throws 22.91! Crouser responds with 22.90, so Walsh with the same measure finds himself third, and remains so because it closes with a no throw.
Meanwhile, track races continue with the men's 4X400: after the first leg Italy is distanced, after the second it is still last, but in the group, after the third is sixth, in the last Re comes back to third place: qualified. Before the second there will be a long pause, because they have to do the presentation of the women's triple jump and mount panels in the middle of the track. TJ will be dominated by Rojas from the first jump, with Ibarguen that, jump after jump, will climb to third place.
After the finals of women's 1500 and 5000, respectively with Hasan's double and Obiri's lead race from start to finish, we close with the 4X100 relays. The usual light games, for the men'sone they play "Bella ciao": won't any Italian tell them that it is not a stadium song? Among women, Italy is last, but close enough: only after the finish I will notice that we are seventh, because China has messed up with the first exchange. Among men, one comes third with 37.43 and fifth with 37.73.
After the stadium program, I have an hour and a half to get to the Corniche for the Marathon, but with these transports you never know. After a long wait, I take the 32 first, where I find the Australian throwing coach and a group of English people, including a very old lady, then a taxi. I know that I will have to walk a little, but the security does not let me approach the Corniche at the nearest point, making me stretch at least 1 km. I arrive that the Marathon has been going for about 3 minutes, and I am 1 km and 195 meters from the finish (it is a 7 km circuit). Not even the shadow of screens, so staying there I would never see how it ends: after the first lap, I gradually approached the finish line, crossing the area where they had blocked me before, the closer we get to the finish line and the more public w see, even if there is certainly no WCH crowd: there are both common spectators and athletes, among whom I recognize steeple chase runner Carro (of course: I recognize him only because I see his badge).
Around 100 meters from the finish there is the largest group of fans: the Kenyan one. There is one who interviews everyone, using a bottle of water as a microphone: of course everyone, including me, says they support the Kenyans. The Ethiopians are close, but less numerous. The tribune area this time is completely off limits for ordinary spectators. This familiar environment, however, creates a party atmosphere that would have been difficult to find in a more crowded competition, like a normal WCH.
Faniel stays behind almost immediately, Meucci shortly after, but for a while he stays close. Rachik remains in the group until a bout fifteen runners remain, then he stays behind too. He will catch up someone on the street, so much so that I hope for he will finish in the 8, but then 3 will recover on him and he will close 12th. Meucci also recovers for a while, but then retires. Faniel will continue to rally until the end (of course I continue to call him that: don't make me write his other surname!), So that when he finishes, 15th, I will notice it only at the last moment because I didn't expect him so soon. At 5-6 km from the end they remain 4: 2 Ethiopians, 1 Kenyan and 1 South African. At one point the latter seems to be able to fool everyone: I approach the 4-5 South African fans to see their possible celebrations. But then the British Hawkins rallies, and at a certain point he also seems to be able to take off: a group of British athletes arrive, among whom I have the impressio to recognize (this time for real) Muir. But then he also surrenders: they arrive in a broup of 3 in the last few meters, and they arrive while I am still thinking about which is the best position to see the finish I will do just in time to put myself in a point where I see the line. Ethiopian double, bronze to Kenya. The Ethiopians celebrate before the Kenyans and, needless to say, nothing happens.
Going out, I meet two American girls in the 2021 World CHampionships shirt: I say to them "See you in Eugene!" I wonder if it will be true. While I am waiting for the taxi, I am offered a car by the organization and I, unwisely, accept. Should I call back some of the curses sent to the organizers? Not at all: he gets lost, he makes me go around the whole city and then he charges me three times more than a taxi driver!
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