Relay flops, Azzurri’s left high and dry

4×400 eighth

On the penultimate night of the European Championships in Monaco, Italy was eighth with the 4×400 relay team of Davide Re, Vladimir Aceti, Brayan Lopez and Edoardo Scotti.

Never really competing were the Azzurri, eighth with 3:03.04, more than four tenths better than yesterday’s battery. The inclusion of Davide Re (in first) and Edoardo Scotti (in fourth) was not enough to contend with the powers of Europe. King’s split is timed in 45.87 according to European Athletics data. Vladimir Aceti is seventh at the rope and a few meters later loses a position to Germany (split in 45.69), then together with Brayan Lopez is not lightning fast in the second baton pass. Lopez fails to repeat yesterday’s excellent four hundred and completes his task in 46.31. In the final fraction, there is not much Edo Scotti (45.17) can do, who always remains at the back.

In the medal fight, Great Britain wins the gold that formalizes overtaking Germany in the medal table: 2:59.35 for Matthew Hudson-Smith, Charles Dobson, Lewis Davey and Alex Haydock-Wilson. The Borlée epic is nourished by yet another chapter thanks to Dylan’s comeback, who in the final straight overtakes France’s Thomas Jordier for Belgium’s silver (2:59.49) and France’s bronze (2:59.64). Spain fourth, at a national record of 3:00.54, confirming the Iberian quartets’ brilliant period. On the women’s side, Femke Bol’s comeback in the final split, from third to first, is devastating: the phenomenal Dutchwoman is on her third gold in three races (400, 400hs, 4×400) and celebrates with Eveline Saalberg, Lieke Klaver and Lisanne De Witte (3:20.87), eating Poland (3:21.68) and Great Britain (3:21.74) in one bite.