Marcell Jacobs seeking redemption at European Championships in Istanbul

Marcell Jacobs in Istanbul

National teams technical director Antonio La Torre has made official the call-ups for the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul scheduled from Thursday, March 2 to Sunday, March 5. There are 50 Azzurri selected for the continental indoor event in Turkey: 26 men, 24 women, for the largest Italian expedition ever to the Euroindoors (there were 49 Azzurri in Genoa in 1992).

Prominent in the team is the presence of Olympic 100 and 4×100 champion at the Tokyo Games Marcell Jacobs, reigning world and European indoor gold medalist in the 60 meters, of which he is also European record holder with 6.41 last year in Belgrade. First convocation to the overall national team for Italian 60 champion Samuele Ceccarelli, winner in Ancona with 6.54. Also on the team are Eugene World Championships bronze medalist in the high jump Elena Vallortigara, Torun Euroindoor bronze medalist Paolo Dal Molin (60hs), thrower Leonardo Fabbri (weight), European U23 cross champion Nadia Battocletti (3000), European cross relay champions Pietro Arese (1500) and Federica Del Buono (1500), Italian indoor record-breakers Larissa Iapichino (long), Claudio Stecchi (pole), Roberta Bruni (pole), Zane Weir (weight), Ossama Meslek (1500), Dario Dester (heptathlon), Sveva Gerevini (pentathlon), and fifth-place finisher at the World Championships in Oregon Emmanuel Ihemeje (triple). Ludovica Cavalli is entered in the 1500 and 3000 but, timetable in hand, will be able to choose between either specialty. Also among the rookies is European U20 indoor record holder in the long run Mattia Furlani, as well as Ceccarelli, triple runner Simone Biasutti and Mattia Padovani (3000). Also summoned to the relay group is Ayomide Folorunso: the Italian 400 indoor champion, not having the entry standard and ranking in the 400 (she who is a 400hs specialist) will not be able to run the individual race.