Gianmarco Tamberi was the absolute star of the evening in the penultimate act of the European Championships in Rome: a show that began well before the high jump final, and ended with the sensational embrace in the stands with the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.
Gianmarco Tamberi he had made an appeal in recent days, inviting the Rome public to be present at the Olimpico at the European Championships and it did not go unheeded: the Italian champion finally found a full stadium, which literally went crazy seeing him on the track well before the start of the match high jump final. Enormous cheering, also corroborated by the presence in the grandstand of the Head of State, Sergio Mattarella, guest of honor for the penultimate evening of athletics. Who gave an amused and entertaining unscheduled performance with Tamberi before the race and then let himself go once the gold medal was achieved, with a hug in the stands between Gimbo and the President of the Republic.
“Come and see us at the stadium, this Italy deserves it”, Gimbo had said and so it happened: the Olimpico quickly filled up and then exploded in the pre-race when Tamberi appeared on the track. Usual engaging show total response from the spectators who had fun following the exploits of the reigning world and European champion, who presented himself for the occasion with the proverbial half-beard.
The final hug to President Mattarella after winning the gold
Tamberi’s show seemed endless. After dominating the scene on the stage, she provided a further pure spectacle for the public who flocked to the Olimpico. Until the final act when, with the tricolor flag surrounding him, he headed straight for the grandstand, where the Head of State Sergio Mattarella was present. As happened previously to Nadia Battocletti, who had been accompanied, Tamberi “fell” on the President in his own way, involving him in the atmosphere of absolute happiness. A visibly amused Mattarella, who hugged the Italian champion and then stayed to talk for a few minutes, complimenting him on what he had achieved.
No, Tamberi didn’t really jump in at the European Championships: the detail was overlooked
The presentation, the bow to Mattarella and the President’s response to Tamberi
However, the show had begun well before the competition, at the time of the official presentation of the athletes qualified for the high jump final. And so, when one by one the athletes came out of the tunnel, called by the stadium speaker, there was cheering exploded at the moment of Tamberi who came out on the track rejoicing and haranguing the crowd, completing half a lap of the track until arriving in front of the grandstand. Where he looked for the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and then make an almost irreverent bow.
In front of the entertainment of the public, the Head of State was no exception and in turn gave a gesture outside of any protocol: smiling and evidently influenced by Tamberi’s personality, Mattarella responded with his hand raised in greeting to the blue. All filmed by cell phones and cameras which then immediately went around the web.
The Tamberi match, the European final in history
Tamberi didn’t start very well in his European final, with the risk of saying goodbye even before the race got to the heart of the game, exceeding 2.29 only on the third attempt. The happiness and Garibaldian spirit at the beginning of the evening give way to a total concentration that no longer allows him to joke. And so at 2.31 he jumped on the first attempt and entered the medal zone, his comfort zone. Having found himself again, he is a river in flood, overflowing: first a 2.31 then an amazing 2.37giving an unforgettable show to the spectators at the Olimpico and at home.
