World Athletics Championships in Doha - Day 4

Clicca qui per la versione italiana I linger with the blog even more than yesterday and I arrive when the qualifications of women's javelin are already in the third round, just in time for the first heat of 200. I had a moment of panic at the security check, when I was asked to completely empty my backpack: I have 2000 things in it and I was terrified of leaving some. It had never happened to me in so many years: even here, the other times, they passed on X-rays, but this time they had none. At the entrance, I find the Juventus fan volunteer I had met Saturday

I'm still close to the finish line, just two rows below, compared to yesterday. Next to me a couple of British, a few rows below, the Jamaican fans. The first bend is fuller than usual, as there is the final of the women's high jump, while the straight opposite is almost empty, but in the evening at least the first half will fill up enough. We see so many people with traditional dress, I will then discover that many are students (all boys).

They start with the women's 200 heats, and the first poor show of the Italians: Hooper remains in the race until the beginning of the straight, then collapses. In 400 you hear the cheer for the home athlete, who will close almost 100 meters behind, in 1'06 ". The "neighbor" Naser, who enters the final straight with a huge advantage, is also chered. She almost walks for the last 80 meters and closes at 50.74. Impressive! Better not to mention Chigbolu: she too it seems to be in the race until the final straight, then collapses.

Also today the program is not very dense: just before 6 pm there are 5 minutes with no races. Then the javelin group B begins: luckily the scoreboard immediately gives the overall ranking and doesn't make us do calculations. The first ones do all badly, so much so as to suggest that conditions are worse than in Group A, but then 6 per group will pass.

At 7 pm there is a break of about an hour: it was one of the days when two sessions were originally planned, but then they realized that the break would have been too short. I can therefore visit the commercial area. There is a section for every continent, with a traditional game: for South America there is the bag run, the European one (of Polish origin, they say) I had never heard. Participation is not much, especially in games which required movement, given the heat: it is greater in precision games.

I wonder if there is a merchandising shop: there is an Asics shop that sells t-shirts with the logo of the WCHs, which, however, is always smaller than the brand's one. My favorite, with the mascot (a hawk) is only for children. At the information desk I ask about the daily program, since yesterday I saw someone who had it, but they tell me they didn't receive it. In almost all food stands, to know the menu you need to get very close, they often show it on a tablet. Most make burgers, some Indian dishes, there is also one of pizza and one of pasta. I go to one of the most crowded, frequented by Americans: in the queue behind me there is Nageotte, with one who looks like Morris, but then when her badge turns round I discover she is Ahbe of Canada, also a pole vaulter, eliminated in qualifications.

I'm late and I miss the first heat of 110hs, which means missing the only Italian that will pass his round, as Perini will disappoint too. The evening program continues with the final of women's high jump: another great race, with 3 over 2 meters and the world junior record of Mahuchikh at 2.04, after which she will retire and leave the victory to Lasistkene, who had cleared them before her. In the breaks the athletes are forced to cover their legs: tonight they have exaggerated a bit with the air conditioning, I too regret not having long pants and maybe even a jacket. The other fied event of the evening is the men's discus, where I miss Stahl's first two throws, including the decisive one: a very tight competition, with the Austrian's bronze (don't let me write his name) whom I remembered from the world youth championships in Bressanone. After his last throw, Stahl starts off towards the center of the field and then takes a victory lap at a faster pace than usual, jumping a hurdle of the 400.

People continue to arrive until 9 pm, in my block and even more in the opposite straight. For the 5000 the Ethiopian bend has been formed again, while the Kenyans are fewer this time, and they will be heard especially in women's 3000st. Tonight the public participation is really felt, especially in the 5000, the cool stadium of the beginnings is only a memory (apart from the physical climate, as I said). At a certain point it seems that the Ethiopians can be fooled, with the gold that goes to Norway, then J. Ingebritsen collapses and defends the 5th place by diving at the finish line.

Nice also the other track events: in women's 3000st Chepkoech starts a solitary race, like a meeting, but without pacemakers. She does not keep the monster pace of the first km throughout the race, she seems to be struggling 3 laps from the end, but she still wins quite clearly. Without Italians, I rejoice in the bronze of my "fellow citizen" Krause (I remain very attached to Frankfurt, where I lived), a medal that will not allow her to win the title of sportswoman the year of Hesse, simply because they have already assigned it . Then there are the women's 800 (although everyone has already said it, I too will say that after a long time they return to being really women's), fought, with the surprising Ugandan victory.

They close with 400hs, where they will do the presentation again with the light games, and even bigger writings than in the 100 meters. We hear the support for Samba, who will at least get a bronze. If the winner's time, after what was seen in the season, can be disappointing, the time of the runner-ups is exceptional: with 48.28 you get seventh!

At the exit I take a bus that I do not know where it leads, together with a group of Swedes, who don't either, but are convident that will take to the city centre, where it will be easier to find a taxi. I get off when I see we are in the centre, even if many don't, and get a taxi which will take me to an hotel with the same name as mine, but then he will correct

Mondiali di atletica a Doha - 4^ giornata (30-09-2019)

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Mi attardo col blog ancora più di ieri e arrivo che le qualificazioni del giavellotto femminile sono già al terzo turno, appena in tempo per la prima batteria dei 200. Ho avuto un momento di panico ai controlli, quando mi è stato chiesto di svuotare completamente lo zaino: ho dentro 2000 cose e avevo il terrore di lasciarne qualcuna. In tanti anni non mi era mai capitato: anche qui, le altre volte le passavano ai raggi X, ma stavolta non ce li avevano. All'ingresso, ritrovo il volontario juventino di sabato.

Sono ancora all'altezza della linea del traguardo, solo due file sotto, rispetto a ieri. Accanto a me una coppia di britannici, qualche fila sotto ancora la tifoseria giamaicana. La prima curva è più piena del solito, essendoci la finale dell'alto donne, mentre il rettilineo di fronte è quasi vuoto, ma in serata almeno la prima metà si riempirà abbastanza. Si vede tanta gente col vestito tradizionale, scoprirò poi che molti sono studenti (tutti maschi).

Si parte con le batterie dei 200 donne, e prima figuraccia degli italiani: la Hooper rimane in gara fino all'inizio del rettilineo, poi crolla. Nei 400 si sente il tifo per l'atleta di casa, che chiuderà staccata di quasi 100 metri, con 1'06". Viene incitata anche la "vicina di casa" Naser, che entra nel rettilineo finale con un vantaggio enorme, passeggia per gli ultimi 80 metri e chiude in 50.74. Impressionante! Meglio non parlare della Chigbolu: anche lei sembra in corsa fino al rettilineo finale, poi crolla.

Anche oggi il programma non è molto denso: già poco prima delle 18 ci sono 5 minuti dove non ci sono gare. Poi inizia il gruppo B del giavellotto: per fortuna il tabellone dà subito la classifica complessiva e non ci fa fare calcoli. Le prime vanno male, tanto da far pensare che le condizioni siano peggiori rispetto al gruppo A, ma poi passeranno in 6 per gruppo.

Alle 19 c'è un intervallo di circa un'ora: era una delle giornate in cui originariamente erano previste due sessioni, ma poi si erano resi conto che l'intervallo sarebbe stato troppo corto. Posso così visitare gli stand. C'è una sezione per ogni continente, con un gioco tradizionale: per il Sud America c'è la corsa nei sacchi, quello europeo (di origine polacca, dicono) non l'avevo mai sentito. La partecipazione non è molta, soprattutto nei giochi di movimento, dato il caldo: è maggiore nei giochi di precisione.

Mi chiedo se ci sia un negozio di merchandising: c'è un negozio Asics che vende magliette col logo dei mondiali, che però si vede sempre meno di quello del produttore. Quella che preferisco, con la mascotte (un falco) è solo per bambini. Al banco informazioni chiedo del programma orario, visto che ieri avevo visto uno che ce l'aveva, ma mi dicono che non l'hanno ricevuto. In quasi tutti gli stand gastronomici bisogna avvicinarsi molto per sapere il menu, spesso te lo mostrano su un tablet. I più fanno hamburger, qualcuno piatti indiani, ce n'è anche uno di pizza e uno di pasta. Io vado a uno die più affollati, frequentato dagli americani: in coda dietro di me c'è la Nageotte, con una se sembra la Morris, ma poi quando gira il cartellino scopro essere la canadese Ahbe, anche lei astista, eliminata in qualificazione.

Faccio tardi e mi perdo la prima batteria dei 110hs, il che vuol dire perdersi l'unico italiano che passerà il turno, visto che anche Perini deluderà. Il programma serale continua con la finale dell'alto donne: altra grande gara, con 3 sopra i 2 metri e il record mondiale juniores della Mahuchikh a 2,04, dopo il quale si ritirerà e lascerà la vittoria alla Lasistkene, che li aveva superati prima di lei. Nelle pause le atlete sono costrette a coprirsi le gambe: stasera hanno un po' esagerato con l'aria condizionata, anch'io rimpiango di non avere i pantaloni lunghi e magari anche il giubbotto. L'altro concorso della serata è il disco maschile, dove mi perdo i primi due lanci di Stahl, tra cui quello decisivo: gara molto combattuta, col bronzo dell'austriaco (non fatemi scrivere il nome) che ricordavo dai mondiali allievi di Bressanone. Dopo l'ultimo lancio Stahl parte di scatto verso il centro del campo e poi fa un giro d'onore a passo più veloce del normale, saltando anche un ostacolo dei 400.

La gente continua ad arrivare fino alle 21, nel mio settore e ancora di più nel rettilineo opposto. Per i 5000 si è formata di nuovo la curva etiope, mentre i keniani stavolta sono di meno, e si sentiranno soprattutto nei 3000 siepi donne. Stasera la partecipazione del pubblico si sente eccome, soprattutto nei 5000, lo stadio freddo degli inizi è solo un ricordo (a parte il clima fisico, come dicevo). A un certo punto sembra che gli etiopi possano essere beffati, con l'oro che va in Norvegia, poi J. Ingebritsen crolla e difende il 5° posto tuffandosi sul traguardo.

Belle anche le altre gare di corsa: nei 3000 siepi donne la Chepkoech fa gara solitaria, come fosse un meeting, ma senza lepri. Non tiene per tutta la gara il ritmo mostruoso del primo km, a 3 giri dalla fine sembra in affanno, ma vince ancora abbastanza nettamente. In mancanza di italiani, esulto per il bronzo della mia "concittadina" Krause (sono rimasto molto legato a Francoforte), medaglia che comunque non le consentirà di vincere il titolo di sportiva dell'anno dell'Assia, semplicemente perché l'hanno già assegnato. Ci sono poi gli 800 femminili (anche se l'hanno già detto tutti, dirò anch'io che dopo molto tempo tornano ad essere davvero femminili), combattuti, con la sorprendente vittoria ugandese.

Si chiude coi 400hs, dove faranno di nuovo la presentazione coi giochi di luce, e scritte ancora più grandi che nei 100 metri. Si sente il tifo per Samba, che centrerà almeno il bronzo. Se il tempo del vincitore, dopo quello che si er visto nella stagione, può essere deludente, quello dei piazzati è eccezionale: con 48.28 si arriva settimi!

All'uscita prendo un pullman che non so dove porti, assieme a un gruppo di svedesi, che non lo sanno neanche loro, ma confidano che vada verso il centro, dove sarà più facile trovare un taxi. Quando vedo che siamo in centro scendo, anche se molti proseguono, e prendo un taxi, che mi porterà a un hotel omonimo del mio, ma poi capirà l'errore.

World Athletics championsips in Doha - Day 3

Clicca qui per la versione italiana I linger to write Saturday's story and arrive at the stadium just before 8pm. I can enter just before the first race starts, the women's pole vault. I'm not sure I sat in the right seat because blocks are called in another way, compared to what is written on the ticket and I don't see the row number written, but the neighbors guarantee me that it is mine. I am in a beautiful position: right in line with the finish line: it is the advantage of not being a crowded world championship: when will I have another chanche like this? A few rows before me theris a large group of Jamaicans: when they play the Jamaican anthem (for Gayle) it will be heard singing, when they play the American one it will not, even if I believe that in the stadium Americans were still more than Jamaicans. I'm also sitting near commentators' seats: I'm looking for the Italian ones, but I don't see them. Then I realize that those closest to me do not have microphones and therefore must be journalists: the commentators are one block away. We start with pole vault: the finalists are 17 and the progression is very fast: the second height is already at 4.70, the third at 4.80. It's not sure that this will make it faster, because the consequence is that no one passes any height. The level remains very high: 12 clear 4.70, 6 succeed at 4.80. They arrive in 3 to 4.95: Sidorova and Morris, who never made a miss, and Stefanidi, who left two attempts at 4.90. Sidorova wins, cliearing it on last attempt. The scoreboard will always show the situation, jump by jump: nicel for a fan of vertical jumps like me, but to do so they neglect other events, like triple jump.

Then there are the heats of 200. Infantino loses contact at 150 and arrives far behind, Desalu misses direct qualification: he is the second best time, out of three, and two heats are left. In the penultimate one finds a place, in the last one the fourth is quite close to the first and I begin to fear, but he does not overtake him.

After 200 I go to get something to eat: this time there is a bar inside the stadium, just outside the grandstand, even if it doesn't have much choice. Return for the long jump victory ceremony. Ceremonies are made with virtual flags, I find it horrible

While I was at the bar there must have also been the ceremony of the women's hammer: the gold medalist, DeAnna Price comes to sit in the attendance and hugs everyone (me too). She was truly splendid: finally one that appreciates common spectators, and also cuddles them: she will remain my idol for the rest of her career!

Then there are the semi-finals of the women's 100 and men's 800. In the latter, home fans can also be seen, since a Qatari is engaged. 800 is perhaps the only race where I miss my binoculars, I am in such a good position that I see almost everything well. Then we get to the final of the mixed relay, where the USA go below 3'10 "(not much more than our men's team did a few years ago ...) and Poland tries to surprise by playing the men first: it stays in the lead until the middle of the fourth leg, then it is absorbed by the group.

There is also the triple jump, another race of sky-rocketing level, which unfortunately I can't follow much, being on the other side (with the landing covered by the metric bar): even on the screen you won't see many jumps. Taylor starts with two fouls, in the third he is saved and in the fourth he shoots 17.86. Then he will improve again, but I won't see him because the conjunction with race walk forces me to go out first.
I go out around 10.50 pm, giving up the women's 100 final and the last two rounds of triple jump, and I head towards the Corniche for the race walk. When I see athletes warm up (as if it was needed ...) I would like to get off, but the taxi driver insists that he can take me closer, and in the end he is right: this time I get to the race area quite quickly, despite another deviation imposed by surveillance .

Arriving, I find that the race has been postponed to midnight. I think I could have gone out a little later, but I couldn't have seen the final of 100 anyway, also because they would all come out and it would have been more difficult to find a taxi. It's still hot and humid, maybe a little less than yesterday, but on the other hand it will remain that way for the whole race. This time I had stocked up on water, but then I left it at the hotel (I am incorrigible, I know). There are a few more people than yesterday, even common spectators, especially Chinese. They also removed the pedestal on which yesterday we could sit. I meet New Zealand walker Quentin Rew, 11th yesterday, and ask him how he feels the day after: he replies "It's tough". I also know a couple of Guatemalan fans, even if only she is really Guatemalan (but she doesn't show it)

Palmisano loses contact already at the second kilometer, but for a while she always remains a few seconds behinds, so much so as to give hope that it is a waiting position. Instead at the 9th kilometer she loses contact seriously, even if she rallies in terms of positions. For a while she seems able to reach at least 8th, but then she loses contact also from the second group and closes 13th. Near me the coach of a Canadian and an American, who are among last, but he continues to tell them that they are going well. Indeed, the American , having been last for long, will manage to put four people behind her.

It ends with a Chinese domination, to the delight of the attendance: for a while two South Americans resist, then they give up too. Triplet, which would have been quater without a disqualification. And to say that we have not won 3 medals in a world championship since 2007 ...