ROME – One medal leads to another for Italy on the first day of the European Athletics Championships in Rome. And after the amazing double achieved by Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti, gold and silver in the women’s 20km race walkthe Italian team also celebrated Nadia Battocletti’s gold in the women’s 5,000 final and the silver won in the mixed 4×400.
Battocletti: gold and European record in the 5,000
The feat of the 24-year-old Battocletti was amazing, as she managed to win the European title in the 5,000m while achieving the new Italian and championship record (14:35.29). Driven by the support of the Roman public, the Italian middle-distance runner overtook the Norwegian Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal (silver 14’38″62) in the final with a sensational sprint, while the Spanish Marta Garcia completed the podium (bronze in 14’44” 04). Seventh the other Italian Federica Del Buono (15’00″05). “Doing a race like this with this time satisfies me a lot and repays me for the sacrifices made – an emotional Battocletti said to ‘Sky Sport’ after the race –. It’s not like me to shout and scream when I win, but it’s the icing I needed. I couldn’t wait to start reaping the benefits again. I’m really very happy with what I put on the field today, I didn’t arrive convinced, but with some fear. For this I must send a big greeting to my medical staff who gave me great support at all times.”
Blue silver with the 4×400 mixed
On the Olympic track Luca Sito, Anna Polinari, Edoardo Scotti and Alice Mangione won silver in the mixed 4x400m. The Italian relay team finished the final in second place with a time of 3’10″69 behind Ireland (3’09″92, a new championship record) and ahead of the Netherlands (bronze in 3’10″73).
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