Gianmarco Tamberi gives up jumping
The words of Gianmarco Tamberi
Bad weather day in Heilbronn, Germany, and Olympic high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi prefers to forgo his last competitive outing before the World Championships in Budapest. It was too dangerous to jump in adverse weather conditions, in pouring rain, as the Italian explained to the speaker’s microphone in front of the audience, “I’m sorry, I would have loved to compete, but last year I slipped in Zurich on the wet platform in the Diamond League final and then, in view of the World Championships, I don’t want to take any risks. I promise I will come back here in the next season.”
In two weeks’ time, the Marche-based Gold Flames athlete is expected to compete in Budapest in the World Championships qualifier, scheduled for the morning of Sunday, Aug. 20, at 10:35 a.m. A couple of days later, on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 7:55 p.m., the appointment with the final where Gimbo will try to win the only medal missing from his collection, that of the World Outdoor Championships, after having already won in his career at the World Indoor Championships (2016) and three times at the European Championships (outdoor 2016 and 2022, in the hall in 2019) in addition to the Tokyo Olympics triumph. In the Heilbronn meeting, which was entirely devoted to the high jump, victory went to New Zealander Hamish Kerr ahead of Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok, both at 2.28.
It is still gold Laura Pellicoro at the Universiade. The Italian middle-distance runner wins again in Chengdu, China, and this time in the 1500 meters in 4:15.82 on the last day of competition at the event after her success in the 800 three days ago. It was another race interpreted at her best by the 22-year-old from Bracco Athletics who went to the front from the start, under the downpour, to set the pace on the rain-soaked track. At the ringing of the bell on the last lap when she attacked Luxembourg’s Vera Hoffmann, silver in 4:16.47, the Brianzola stayed in her wake and flanked on the straight opposite the finish line, then overtook her opponent in the last corner by running on the outside and stayed in front to exult at the finish line. Bronze to Turkey’s Silan Ayyildiz in 4:17.26. Athletics Italy thus closes its trip to this edition of the Universiade with a final tally of three medals, all gold and in the women’s category: Laura Pellicoro’s double (800 and 1500) and Alice Muraro’s victory, who also on Thursday had won the 400 hurdles.
