Exclusive interview with the youngest Italian gold medalist of the European Championships in Rome
Matteo Melluzzo he is the youngest of the Italian athletes, he will turn 22 on July 29th, who won gold in the European Championships in Rome where Italy achieved 11 victories with 24 podiums overall, and his celebration immediately after the race with the gladiator helmet on his head that covered his entire face, remains one of the symbolic images of this event that thrilled the fans Italians.
Born in Syracuse where he still lives, he started in sport as a child with judo and later dedicated himself to fast track and field events under the guidance of his father Gianni, a former sprinter, obtaining his first notable results since 2021 when he dropped to 10″ 25 in the 100 metres, before two bronzes at the under 20 Europeans in both the 100 and the 4×100, while in 2022 he made his debut in a great overall event in the 4×100 team eliminated in the semi-final, at the European Championships in Germany.
After passing from the end of 2023, in total agreement with his father, under the technical guidance of Filippo Di Mulo responsible for the Italian relays, he began the 2024 outdoor season by bringing his personal 100 to 10″13 and participating in the European Championships in Rome, first in the individual 100 race where he passed the preliminary round but stopped due to slight fatigue halfway through the semi-final race, repeated after having run the entire previous one 15 minutes earlier and stopped for a false shot with a shot he didn’t hear, but he then contributed to the triumph of the 4×100 by competing in both the semi-final in the first fraction and the final in the second.
Matteo, an extraordinary European Championship for you in which you demonstrated everything, from condition to character, but above all an ability to adapt in the relay as an absolute veteran as you had practically never tried the exchange with Marcell. What went through your mind when you were on the blocks for the decisive act?
“Honestly, I was very excited but also calm, because in addition to my participation in this extraordinary relay since the end of 2021, I have never missed a preparation rally for which I feel perfectly inserted in the group and able to best face any stage I take on. entrust.”
When you learned that you would be the starter in the quartet for the final, what did you feel?
“I was told at the beginning of the afternoon of the race and I immediately thought about going to rest to be even more energized in the evening, but in reality I couldn’t because the adrenaline immediately rose and prevented me from doing so, spending the time of waiting with extreme tranquility and with very positive thoughts, because I was certain that my dream would come true”.
You too could have reached the final of the individual race, but you didn’t notice the false start. Tell us about those very hectic moments you experienced.
“Unfortunately I absolutely didn’t hear the shot that signaled the false start, pushing hard and finishing with a recorded time of 10″12 which would have been my personal best. When I realized that everything had been useless, I confronted the three athletes who had arrived near me, and I understood that it had not just been my erroneous perception, but also that they were the ones like me in the external lanes, not if they were aware of it. A real shame and clearly I had wasted all the energy of that moment so in the repetition I started aware of this, and after about 50 meters I stopped so as not to compromise the rest of the event.”
You are only 21 years old, with a very intense and satisfying youth career, crowned this year also with excellent chronometric results. Now the Olympics in your sights and not just for the relay I guess?
“Absolutely yes and there is certainly a great dream in me of being able to compete in the individual 100 meters race where there is a prohibitive minimum of 10 clear, but you can access with the ranking where I am not yet in and in which I would have gained many points if that semi-final finished in 10″12 had had value, not to mention that I could have aspired to the final which would have given me further points. In any case I will try until the end, that is until the end of June, looking for meetings in Europe and I will certainly run the one in Madrid on the 21st, the Italian championships at the end of the month and we’ll see if anything else, but even if I don’t succeed this time I will try with all my might for the next edition.”
To whom in particular do you want to dedicate this first great triumph of yours?
“Certainly to my family who has always been very close to me, even in the days of the European Championships when they were always at the Stadium and at Casa Italia, but also to my city of Syracuse, which welcomed me on my return like a hero and this for me is a reason of enormous pride, because unfortunately our football team plays in a non-professional league and struggles to enthuse athletes, so I hope that the excellence of my results can be a source of pride for them.”
Have your friends in Syracuse prepared any special celebrations for you?
“I actually returned to Syracuse today, without telling any of them, because I needed a few hours of absolute rest and silence after the clamor and infinite emotions of these days, including the awards ceremony with President Mattarella, but I believe that this I’ll go out with them in the evening to celebrate, without exaggerating because from tomorrow we’ll start again with the Olympic dream in mind.”
