Filippo Tortu: it’s a silver medal in the 200 meters

The medal è important and prestigious, but there'è even a hint of regret.

Filippo Tortu won the silver medal in the 200-meter final of the 2024 European Athletics Championships. Beating the blue è was the Swiss Mumenthaler, to Switzerland also the third place on the podium with Reais. Representing Italy è however, the fifth place finisher, Fausto Desalu.

Tortu stopped the stopwatches on the time of 20.41, not enough to get the better of the surprise Mumenthaler first with an excellent 20.28. The times of the various pursuers were very close, starting with Reais’s 20.47 winning bronze. Suffice it to say that Desalu, fifth, recorded a time of 20.59. Sweden’s Erlandsson, fourth, finished in 20.57.

In March Tortu had begun his preparation for the European Championships in Rome, then moved to Florida in April. Here, in Gainesville, he had clocked a 10.15 in the 100 meters: it was the best debut for him in the last five years at this distance, achieved with a favorable breeze but within the limits of what was allowed. He had also later resumed training with Marcell Jacobs.

"I am very satisfied with the debut. I got a very good start and finished just over a tenth behind Lyles and Bednarek. I certainly need to work on the finish, I struggled a little bit to get my legs turning the way I know how, but it is only April and I still have time to fine tune the car. The work here in Florida together with my coach is paying off, I must say I am very happy", said Tortu in the midst of his training.