Three Italians distinguished themselves in the 800 meters heats at the European Championships 2024 in athletics, managing to brilliantly qualify for the semi-finals of the double lap of track. Comforting morning for the Azzurri at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, where the wait was above all for Catalin Tecuceanu. The seasonal European record holder, capable of running in 1:44.01 in Asti last May 23rd, significantly increased his pace in the initial part of the second lap, overtook the Belgian Pieter Sisk and took the lead on the final straight, but in the final part he went a little in oxygen debt given the decidedly high pace for a battery. The Venetian finished in third place in 1:44.93 behind the French Paul Anselmini (1:44.73, personal) and the Czech Jakub Dudycha (1:44.89, under 20 seasonal world championship).
Race interpretation bordering on madness (in a good way) for Francesco Pernici. He seems to be holding his breath in the initial part of the final lap and enters the final straight in sixth position, giving the impression of no longer having any energy. At that moment the spark goes off, widens, even goes into lane 4, makes an amazing quadruple overtaking on the outside and finishes in second place with a time of 1:45.87, deserving the qualification for the semi-finals. Our standard bearer finished behind the French Gabriel Tual (1:45.69), preceding names with a certain impact such as the Spanish Alvaro De Arriba (1:46.03), the Polish Mateusz Borkowski (1:46.12) and the Norwegian Tobias Groenstad ( 1:46.12).
Simone Barontini reads his battery well from a tactical point of view, does not let himself be closed down on the final straight, manages the effort well and continues his continental adventure. The man from the Marche region, this year capable of a 1:45.76 in Marseille and with a personal best of 1:44.34 dating back to the semi-final of the last World Championships, has finished in second place in 1:46.30 behind the Norwegian Ole Jakob Solbu (1:46.16) and ahead of notable names such as the Polish Filip Ostrowski (1:46.37), the French Yanis Meziane (1:46.39, sensationally eliminated the third European time trial of the year) and the British Callum Dodds (1:46.39). In the second heat the Spaniard Adrian Ben won (1:46.39) ahead of the British Elliot Giles (1:46.44) and the Swede Andreas Kramer (1:46.46).
