There will be four athletes from La Spezia at the starting line on 29 and 30 June at the Italian athletics championships, scheduled at the ‘Montagna’ sports field. The time of 2’07”90 in the 800 meters is enough for Elena Irbetti from La Spezia to qualify for the Italian event. Her performance, at the Brescia Challenge where she participated precisely in search of a chronometric match that would allow her to be the protagonist in her city at the end of the month, earned her the sixth place finish. The middle distance runner currently working for Atletica Spezia Duferco will turn 17 on 16 July and over that distance she boasts a personal best of 2’07”35 set in Conegliano just over a month ago, on 11 May. Elena Irbetti, trained by coach Federico Leporati, at the ‘Memorial Giovannini’ indoor meeting in Ancona in January had already obtained the new regional record (taking it from her fellow citizen Chiara Ferdani) in the 800 metres, with 2’07”47, gaining the pass for the Under 18 European Championships. Qualification also achieved in the 400 meters at the Brixia Meeting in the province of Bolzano, last May 28, with a personal best of 55’80“ (Ligurian Under 18 record). Elena is joined by Alessio Ciriotti and Mattia Braggio who will be competing in via Chiodo for the 10 kilometer walk.
Mission accomplished also for Ianko Lattarulo, who yesterday in Brescia qualified for the athletics championships at the ‘Montagna’ in the 200 meters. Like last year, the athlete from La Spezia overcame the obstacle of the challenges, played between those who yesterday had not yet obtained the very selective minimum of 21.10. The Atletica Spezia standard bearer, followed by coach Caterina Leporati, had to deal like everyone else with the tiredness accumulated from so many close matches and with unfavorable environmental conditions, with a strong wind which penalized his performances.
The masterpiece of the athlete from La Spezia arrived in the heat: drawn in the never easy first lane, Lattarulo designed an explosive curve that launched him full on the straight, winning the final with second place (21’58”). A few hours later, he suffered a little from the effort in the heat, but still finished in fifth place which earned him access to the Italian event. Among the advantages of racing at home, the presence of his trusted physiotherapist who will help him to break down the toxins accumulated in the battery to be able to make the best of his chances in the event of a qualification for the final which is possible, given the 21’19” course in Brussels which earned him the ninth entry time.
Mirco Giorgi
