From Monte Mario hill to the Foro Italico Park, always focused on athletics. Lorenzo Benati, the twenty-two-year-old Italian sprinter born in Rome, is sure: “The European Athletics Championships (scheduled in Rome from 7 to 12 June, tickets and subscriptions on sale here) will be a big opportunity for all of us, in particular for those born in Rome like me because in the stands there will be friends and family. This competition will be very important in our career and we hope to give our best.”
Training at the Paolo Rosi Stadium in Rome, Benati saw many Italian talents growing up arount him :“From 2017 to last year I saw many athletes, such as Larissa Iapichino, Lorenzo Simonelli and Zaynab Dosso. It was a great feeling. At the last World Atlhetics Indoor Championships Lorenzo and Zaynab won two medals and they gave us so much energy.”
Running has always been a family affair fro Benati: the father-coach Mario and the mother Viola Serego were both athletes and 800 meters specialists. After playing volleyball and tennis when he was younger, Lorenzo fell in love with athletics and he focused on 400 meters and 4×400 relays. He has no doubts about the men’s and mixed relays: “There is a possibility to go and get something important in both. I’m not talking about the Olympics, but never say never. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.”
His link with the Eternal City is very strong: “I’m from the Balduina neighborhood – tells Benati, a scientific high school graduate and medical student at Sapienza University – I am a great lover of Piazza Socrate, one of my favorite places in Rome. I love also the city center, Piazza di Spagna and the Pantheon.”
Lover of music and in particular the piano, he is focused on the next continental event coming next in June: “Three good reasons not to miss the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships? The first because we will be there, one of the strongest national teams that Italian athletics has ever had, then for the incredible atmosphere that will surround the competion and finally because the Olympic Stadium is a stadium like no other.” Benati concludes.
Credit photo: Grana\FIDAL