ATHLETICS – The curtain has fallen on the 2024 edition of the Italian Insurance International Meeting City of Lucca and, with the spotlights of one of the most important sporting events in the area turned off, the Campo Scuola Moreno Martini has returned to its usual role as the headquarters of the Atletica Virtus Lucca, exemplary hostess and impeccable organizer of the event.
78244 points for the Lucca city meeting which confirms the depth of the protagonists and a high technical level. In addition to the five meeting records all for men (weight, 110 hurdles, long jump, javelin and 800 metres) and one equaled in the women’s high jump, the competition recorded good performances. And if the most awaited athlete was Leo Fabbri (in the photo), fresh from a new Italian record and author of yet another super test in Lucca with a 22.59 that fired up the large audience, there was no shortage of other thrills. From the sprint of the 2016 Olympic champion Omar McLeod, first in the 110 hurdles to that of the South African Matoso, winner in the 100. Tommaso Maniscalco in the 800 echoed by the Kenyan Alamisi in the 3000. Italian battle in the auction between Matteo Oliveri, Simone Bertelli and Ivan De Angelis, all at 5.45 but with the home athlete coming out on top for having passed the measurement on the first attempt. Spectacular performance in the long run with 7.99 for the South African Masikane while in the javelin Polish derby between Wegner with 79.46 who precedes his compatriot Mrzyglod in a race where the German Rohler disappoints. In the women’s field, the 100m goes to the Trinidadian Ahye while in the 100m the Jamaican Anderson confirms herself ahead of Veronica Besana. Victories in the 800m and 3000m by the Ethiopians Nenko and Mekonen. And while in the high jump we were left in suspense due to the jumps of Idea Pieroni and Asia Tavernini, who both finished 1.85 in front of Furlani, in the hammer event Bianca Ghelber prevailed ahead of the under 20 world champion Rachele Mori. There were three objectives as reiterated by one of the two meeting directors Matteo Martinelli: technical and economic consolidation with relative sustainability of the event and above all a further step forward so that the meeting can become a reference event for the late spring in Lucca. The record number of paying spectators and the technical performances confirmed the success of the third edition by Italiana Assicurazioni.
