Italy Back In Spotlight After 73 Years of Elusiveness
The Italian athletics team arrived in Japan against the backdrop of their victories at Eurovision and the European Cup.
By
AGUNG SETYAHADI FROM TOKYO, JAPAN
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AFP/ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT
(R-L) Italy\'s Lamont Marcell Jacobs, South Africa\'s Akani Simbine and USA\'s Fred Kerley compete in the men\'s 100m final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 1, 2021.
TOKYO, KOMPAS — Italy was back on the medal podium for the men\'s 4x100 meter relay at Tokyo 2020, 73 years since its last medal-winning performance in the event, in London 1948 when the country won bronze. It also grabbed bronze at Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936.
However, Italy turned up at the Tokyo Olympic stadium suddenly like the explosion of Mount Vesuvius by winning the men\'s 4x100 meter relay gold on Friday (6/8/2021).
Kompas’Agung Setyahadi reported from Tokyo that the sparsely occupied stadium echoed the screams and applause of the meager crowd made up of media workers and the competing delegations.
As soon as the last runners crossed the finish line, it was not immediately clear who had come first: British sprinter Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake or Italian Filippo Tortu. The digital board showed that the Italian team, whose other runners were Lorenzo Patta, Lamont Marcell Jacobs and Eseosa Fostine Desalu, had recorded the fastest time of 37.50 seconds.
Tortu had been trailing Mitchell-Blake before building the pace to snatch first place.
Italy edged Great Britain by 0.01 seconds as Mitchell-Blake lost to leaning forward Tortu at the finish line. Tortu had been trailing Mitchell-Blake before building the pace to snatch first place.
Mitchell-Blake looked so disappointed his running mates Chijindu Ujah, Zharnel Hughes and Richard Kilty had to console him.
The British team, which had been favorite to win the gold medal, had to settle for silver. The bronze was won by the Canadian team comprising Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse. They recorded a time of 37.70 seconds.
The Italian athletics team arrived in Japan against the backdrop of their victories at Eurovision and the European Cup. However, Jacobs, who also won the men\'s 100-meter gold, said they had beaten the odds in the 4×100 relay accomplishment. He hailed Tokyo 2020 as the time for Italy, which has already collected five gold medals overall.
AP PHOTO/CHARLIE RIEDEL
From right: Filippo Tortu, Lorenzo Patta, Eseosa Desalu, and Lamont Jacobs, of Italy celebrate after taking the gold medal in the final of the men\'s 4 x 100-meter relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Teary Tortu was overwhelmed by the victory, saying he had run out of tears.Meanwhile, Mitchell-Blake offered his apology for the unsatisfactory result despite their hard efforts to try to become the best relay team in the world. He said they had been trying hard to show it should be the time for the British relay team.
Jamaica\'s failure to be on the podium was another shock in the men\'s 4x100 meters relay final. The team staggered from unsmooth transfer of the baton as was the case experienced by the US team which ignominiously finished in sixth place in the qualifying round.
The baton incident caused Jamaica to lose time dearly to only finish in fifth position behind China. Jamaica has been suffering a dip in the men’s performance with the departure of Usain Bolt, who retired in 2017.
Jamaican relay gold
In the women\'s 4x100 meter relay, Jamaica, which fielded Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, found success by defeating the US relay team.
Williams pulled off straight ahead with a narrow lead that was increased by Thompson and built further by Fraser-Pryce before Jackson finished victoriously. They won gold in a time of 41.02 seconds, which is Jamaica\'s new national record.
The US women\'s team that fielded Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, Jenna Prandini and Gabrielle Thomas won silver in 41.45 seconds. The British team, which consisted of Asha Philip, Imani Lansiquot, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita, took the bronze in 41.88 seconds.
Thompson-Herah expressed her pride over the team’s performance in winning three gold medals overall and setting a new national record. She said they deserved it for all the hard work they put in during the games.
They have showed they are now the team to be reckoned with.
Fraser-Pryce said the Jamaican runners were very proud to be able to present gold on Jamaica\'s Independence Day, 6 August. The achievement came after two years of the Jamaican women\'s relay team failing to make the podium. They have showed they are now the team to be reckoned with.
In the women\'s 400 meters, the gold medal went to the Bahamas runner, Shaunae Miller-Uebo (48.36 seconds). The silver medal was won by Marileidy Paulino from Dominica and the bronze medal by Allyson Felix from the US.
AFP/JEWEL SAMAD
Gold medallist Italy\'s Lamont Marcell Jacobs (C), silver medallist USA\'s Fred Kerley (L) and bronze medallist Canada\'s Andre De Grasse (R) pose with their nationals flags after the men\'s 100m final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 1, 2021.
Friday night also featured the women\'s 1,500 meters final, which was won by defending champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya. Kipyegon notched 3 minutes 53.11 seconds to shatter the 33-year-old Olympic record of 3 minutes 53.96 seconds held by Ivan Paula of Romania.
The silver medal was won by the British runner, Laura Muir, while the bronze went to the Dutch runner, Sifan Hassan. (REUTER/AFP/IYA /DRI)
