Yeman Crippa disappointed but proud: “It could have been worse.”

“I was convinced I could give Italy a medal.”

Starting out with medal ambitions in the cross-country race held at La Mandria Park in Venaria Reale (in the province of Turin), site of the 2022 European Cross Championships, Yeman Crippa had to settle for the so-called ‘wooden’ medal, coming only fourth at the finish line.

At the end of a difficult race, in which he first tried to make selection, only to find himself defending tooth and nail at least the fourth place, the reigning European champion over the 10,000-meter distance issued the following statements to the official website of the Federation.

“A little bitterness remains in my mouth, because I was convinced that I could give Italy a medal. Unfortunately, it did not come. I immediately tried to challenge all the athletes and a little bit of selection did. But then the others started to run, and today they were in better condition than me. I can’t be happy with a wooden medal, but halfway through the race I felt it was getting bad. It could have been much worse. I have to congratulate myself for being able to hold on and defend this fourth place,” he said.