News and SocietyCelebrities

Pietro Mennea is a legendary sprinter. Biography, achievements, records, career

It's been almost four years since the Italian sprinter Pietro Menea died. But his performances, achievements and records in the races at 100 and 200 meters are still remembered by many fans. For seventeen years of sports career, he won 18 gold medals at various international competitions.

Biography

In the Italian city of Barletta, June 28, 1952, the world-famous sprinter Mennea Pietro was born. Biography of the Olympic champion is associated not only with the sport, but also with politics.

The full name of the sprinter is Pietro Paolo Mennea. He was a strong tall man, his height - 1 m 80 cm, weight - 73 kg. The athlete was very secretive, he did not like to talk much, rarely gave interviews. It seemed that the only thing that excites the Italian is new achievements and records.

In his youth, Pietro Mennea began to play football. The quick boy was immediately noticed by coach Carlo Vittori and invited him to his group. So a sprinter at the age of fifteen was carried away by track and field. After the lessons, the young man hurried to training, because he understood that to achieve good results in professional sports can only be hard work. For the first time in his native country about him learned in 1971, when he became a gold medalist in the championship of Italy. Since then, the athlete for his speed was given the nickname "blue arrow".

Successful start of the sprinter

At the beginning of his career, the runner distinguished himself at the European tournament in Helsinki (Finland). In international competitions, he won the third place in the relay 4x100 m. In the debut 1971, Pietro Mennea took part in the Mediterranean Games in Izmir (Turkey). At these competitions he became the owner of the gold medal in the race for 200 meters and in the relay 4 to 100.

At the age of 20, Mennea Pietro made his first appearance at the Olympic Games in Germany. September 4, 1972 in Munich at a distance of 200 m he third came to the finish with a result of 20.3 seconds. And won bronze.

The Italian sprinter is well known in Russia. The sportsman took part in the Moscow Universiade in 1973. Then Pietro Mennea took with him three medals: two bronze and one gold.

Achievements of athlete

At 22, the Italian athlete for the second time appeared at the European Championships, which took place in the capital of his native country - in Rome. In the final of the 4 * 100 m relay race and 100 m race, Pietro won silver, and as a result of sprinting at a distance of 200 m - became the champion.

In 1975, at the Universiade in Italy, he again won. In the race for 100 and 200 meters to the finish line came first and won two gold medals. In the same year, the Italian was a participant in the Mediterranean Games in Algiers. These competitions brought Pietro Mennea three more medals: 2 gold and 1 silver. In the career of the sprinter the most unfortunate period was 1976. Speaking at the Olympics in Canada, in the race for 200 m and in the relay 4 * 100 m athlete did not reach the finals. He took 4th and 6th place respectively.

Highscores

But already in 1978, Mennea Pietro enriched his collection of awards with three gold medals, winning them at the European Championships in Prague and Milan. A year later, the Italian became a two-time European record holder. At the Summer Universiade in Mexico City in a hundred-meter race, he finished with a result of 10.01 sec, and at a distance of 200 m the time was 19.72 seconds. The second record for a long time remained none of the white athletes beaten, it was surpassed by American sprinter Michael Johnson only 17 years later. In 1979, at the Mediterranean Games in Split, Pietro Mennea won two more gold.

At the age of 28, the runner once again took part in the Olympics, in Moscow. At that time, the Russians already knew the Italian athlete well, remembering his excellent performance at the Universiade-1973 competitions. His fans Pietro did not disappoint, winning first place at a distance of 200 m and the third in the relay 4 to 400 m.

In 1983, a thirty-one year old athlete performed at the World Championships in Helsinki and the Mediterranean Games in Casablanca. Participation in two prestigious competitions brought him a silver, bronze and 2 gold medals. The next few years were not memorable for the athlete. Pietro Mennea could not become a winner at any of the distances.

End of sports career and life of the champion

In 1988, at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Seoul, the Italian champion was entrusted with carrying the national flag of the national team. As a result of his performance in the two-hundred-meter race, he did not even get into the final battle. Participation in the 1988 Olympics was the last for Mennéa Pietro. The sprinter completed his sports career at the age of 36 years. Then he began to practice law practice, and in 1999 he became a member of the European Parliament from the party of democrats. The political career of the former athlete lasted until 2004. Pietro Mennea tried himself and as a teacher.

March 21, 2013 was the last day of life of the Italian sprinter. He died in Rome in the hospital ward as a result of a serious illness - oncology. He was buried in the territory of the Christian church of Santa Sabina. In 2013, the famous track and field Italian competitions Golden Gala were named after Mennea Pietro.

Similar articles

 

 

 

 

Trending Now

 

 

 

 

Newest

Copyright © 2018 en.unansea.com. Theme powered by WordPress.