Rome, 11 Aug. (LaPresse) – At the European Athletics Championships in Paris, Eloisa Coiro has achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new Italian record in the 800 metres, breaking the record that had been held by Gabriella Dorio for 46 years. In the first heat, the Italian finished in 1’57‘56, breaking the record set by the former Italian middle-distance runner – a gold medallist in the 1,500 metres at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics – on 5 July in Pisa (1’57’66). The 25-year-old from Rome put in a fantastic performance, run with tactical intelligence, staying tucked away in the pack until the final straight, where she made up two places to finish second in the wake of the British Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who finished ahead of her in 1’57″28. It was the longest-standing Italian women’s record, and so, in the space of just over a month, both 800-metre records were broken, following the men’s record set by Francesco Pernici (1’43”60, breaking Marcello Fiasconaro’s record after 53 years).
European Athletics Championships: Eloisa Coiro breaks Dorio’s 46-year-old Italian 800-metre record
Rome, 11 Aug. (LaPresse) – At the European Athletics Championships in Paris, Eloisa Coiro has achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new Italian record in the 800 metres, breaking the record that had been held by Gabriella Dorio for 46 years. In the first heat, the Italian finished in 1’57‘56, breaking the record set by the former Italian middle-distance runner – a gold medallist in the 1,500 metres at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics – on 5 July in Pisa (1’57’66). The 25-year-old from Rome put in a fantastic performance, run with tactical intelligence, staying tucked away in the pack until the final straight, where she made up two places to finish second in the wake of the British Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who finished ahead of her in 1’57″28. It was the longest-standing Italian women’s record, and so, in the space of just over a month, both 800-metre records were broken, following the men’s record set by Francesco Pernici (1’43”60, breaking Marcello Fiasconaro’s record after 53 years).