Battocletti crowned Queen of Europe, Jacobs denied third gold
Nadia Battocletti won gold in the 5000 meters at the European Championships in Birmingham, while Marcell Jacobs was forced to withdraw from the 100-meter final due to a muscle problem.
Nadia Battocletti won gold in the 5000 meters at the European Championships in Birmingham, while Marcell Jacobs was forced to withdraw from the 100-meter final due to a muscle problem.
The second evening of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham brought completely different emotions for Italy's two track and field stars. While Nadia Battocletti climbed to the top step of the podium, two-time European champion Marcell Jacobs saw his 100-meter final end after just a few seconds, overcome by pain in his adductor.
Jacobs, who was chasing a historic third consecutive title and a place alongside legends Valery Borzov and Linford Christie, felt discomfort as early as the warm-up. "I felt great discomfort in my adductor while testing the starting blocks before the final, the same thing that stopped me in Monte Carlo. I was ready to break anything to get to the end of the race," said the visibly disappointed sprinter to ANSA.
Despite the painful defeat, Jacobs did not lose his composure. "I knew we could win again given how I ran in the semifinal, but that's part of the game. I'm not someone who despairs when something worrying happens; instead, I get back to work and figure out what the problem is to move forward," he added.
In contrast to Jacobs' disappointment, the evening belonged to Nadia Battocletti, who demonstrated tactical maturity and an impeccable finishing kick in the 5000 meters. After testing the competition with a surge just past the 3000-meter mark, she patiently waited for her moment and, 200 meters from the finish, broke away from Spain's Marta Garcia, crossing the line for gold in 15'37"84.
At the finish line, tears awaited her, but this time they were tears of joy. "After Rome, I thought of a different ending; at the finish I was disappointed and sadness gave way to tears. The journey to Birmingham was also tough, but now I'm really happy with this result. My mom put the crown on my head," said the new European champion.
The joy was completed by Micol Majori, who took bronze in the same final. "When I hit the home straight, I almost got scared; I told myself, 'How am I going to do this?' It's a beautiful dream I haven't yet realized," admitted Majori, adding that Nadia has been alone on the podiums for years and that she has finally found a partner.
The day was also marked by 25-year-old Eloisa Coiro, who in the 800-meter heats broke one of Italy's oldest records. Her time of 1:57.56 erased Gabriella Dorio's record, which had stood for over 46 years, set on July 5, 1980. "I didn't know how fast I was running; I just knew I felt good. I'm really happy," said Coiro.
Dorio herself did not hide her enthusiasm: "I raise a double toast, because records are meant to be broken, and I'm happy because I've known Eloisa since childhood, and today she showed she's truly strong in a very important race."
In the high jump, Italy, for the first time in history at a European Championship, qualified four athletes for the final. Defending champion Gianmarco Tamberi and European U23 champion Matteo Sioli cleared 2.23 meters, while Edoardo Stronati and Christian Falocchi advanced with 2.19 meters.
However, Tamberi, who will defend his title on Friday in his seventh consecutive final, was not satisfied with his performance. "I'm not at all happy with my jumps; they were awful. I hoped to find a bit of confidence, which I've been missing in recent races, and I didn't. But the important thing was to make the final," he admitted candidly. The final will be especially emotional for him, as his daughter Camilla will celebrate her first birthday that very day.
