martedì 15 giugno 2021

Italian U20 and U23 Athletics Championships (11-06-2021)

Clicca qui per la versione italiana

I arrive around 2.30 pm and compared to what I planned it seems even late. The gates are opening: I see the people in the queue, and they are definitely less than 250 (which is the number of people admitted). I don't have the Covid declaration, but they don't have the form and they let me in even without it. I didn't ask myself which of the two terraces it was, I entered the first gate I found: once inside I discover that it is the high jump sector (behind the first bend), as I hoped. The seats are very dirty, never seen like this. In the end there will be about fifty spectators, and from what I hear, I think I am the only who is not related with a competing athlete. I will also hear that there is at least one other who was in Florence yesterday.

Before starting, they commemorate Cosimo Caliandro, 10 years after his death, and also announce the death of Paola Pigni, who was the protagonist of the first athletics championship I remember, the 1974 European Championships in Rome. U20 confirm the high level, first the girls, then even more the boys: Melluzzo makes 10.63 against a headwind giving the impression of walking (and I will discover after he gots injured), then Ulissi makes 10.46. From my position, I am able to quite understand the order of arrival, with some doubts for very close finishes. The U23 are less impressive, but still at a good level.


In the meantime, I learn from the speaker that the U20 girls' javelin has begun: I thought they were still the warm-up throws. It is a very difficult race to follow from my position: you have an idea of ​​the measure, but you do not understand who is throwing, the name on the board cannot be read even with binoculars and the website is always 2-3 athletes behind. The markers are very optimistic: the first is at 40 meters (and the last at 60), but only 5 will go beyond it and the race will be won with 44. The same happens in the women's U23 shot put the first marker is at 14 meters, but none of the athletes competing had ever got there and in fact they will win with 13.62. However exciting race, with many overtaking, even if low level. The U20 boys' hammer throw must have been very exciting too, with the two favorites both improving by 3 meters at the last throw and ending up separated by 13 cm. Too bad not to have seen it, as it took place in another field. 

After the heats of 100, they immediately move on to the finals. We feel an increasingly stronger wind in our direction, which is the same as the straight, so we understand that the exceptional results of the male juniors are to be taken cautiously, but the wind is regular: 1.6. In 5 nelow 10.50; a few years ago it could hardly be seen in the senior championships, and Melluzzo was also missing (and I only noticed it when the result came out). In the women's U23 race the wind has increased again and therefore, given the results,we imagine that it is beyond the limit and in fact it is 3.3.

In the boys U20 triple jump I aksi realize it started only when the first round is almost over: you can read the names on the board, but from my position you can't get an idea of ​​the measure. On the other hand, we see very well the women's U23 high jump. In the final the conditions become difficult, between the wind and interference of the heats of 400. Morara makes 1.79 on first, Pavan on third, but then at 1.81 Pavan makes on third, Morara seems to have made it, but then the bar falls down. Pavan tries to console her, but she runs away.

The weather gets worse and worse: after the wind, rain, stronger and stronger. There are the heats of  400 and I èòan to resist until Benati's run, then I take refuge under the stands, I go out just to see a couple of heats of the women's U23. The rain is decreasing a bit, but I don't dare to return to the stands, also because by now they will be very wet: I take the opportunity to get to the car, about an hour earlier than expected. I pass the yjrowing field and take the opportunity to see a couple of throws of the men's U23 discus, which I will later discover to be the first. There are a few people outside the field, almost more than in the whole grandstand.

So I'll be back in advance: I console myself by thinking that I will be able to see a little more of Italy's soccer match. 

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