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Author: Admin EAC Roma2024

By Admin EAC Roma2024

“Your Sport For Life” contest opens for Italian schools and young athletes

Today is starting a new contest to encourage children to play sports, to raise their interest in health issues and to involve them in one of the most important international sporting events of the year. These are the objectives of the ‘Your Sport For Life‘, a project promoted by the EuroRoma 2024 Foundation – organiser of the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships to be held in Rome from 7 to 12 June 2024 – in collaboration with UniCredit, Official Partner of the event.

The project is supported by the National Association of Italian Municipalities (Anci), the Federation of European Capitals and Cities of Sport (ACES Europe) and the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL). 

The project ‘Your Sport For Life‘ is inspired by the manifesto written by European Athletics to promote the values of athletics and sports in general, such as fair play, inclusiveness and healthy lifestyle. Inspired by the European campaign, the EuroRoma 2024 Foundation has opened a contest for Italian primary schools and young athletes from amateur athletics clubs and associations affiliated to FIDAL. Participants will work together with classmates, teachers and coaches to answer the question “What is sport for you?” in a creative way.

The subject of the ‘Your Sport For Life‘ contest will be photos, drawing and video contents, which will be produced in classrooms and collected by teachers, and within athletics clubs. The term for submitting materials is 14 May and all further information is available here.

A ‘best of’ of the contents will be shown on the big screens in the Olympic Stadium during the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, giving the children a unique opportunity to share their ideas with the entire stadium audience. The ‘best of’ will also be featured on the Roma 2024 digital channels.  All participants in the contest will receive free entry to the stadium, which can also be extended to the sisters and brothers of the participating children, valid to attend a morning session of the European Championships, which will start on 7 June to coincide with the end of the Italian school season.

“The Roma 2024 European Championships will be a celebration for everyone, especially the youngest. With this initiative we are promoting the creativity, imagination and enthusiasm of young athletes and Italian students to storytelling sports and its values in a new way,” explains Stefano Mei, president of FIDAL and the EuroRoma 2024 Foundation.

“We are proud to be the official partner of this event, one of the most eagerly awaited in athletics, and to support the ‘Your Sport For Life’ project, which involves students, teachers and tutors from primary schools in a proactive awareness-raising and orientation action to promote sport as a healthy lifestyle in schools, families and society as a whole. We care about social sustainability in the round, starting with young people and education, and we also want to demonstrate our commitment to promoting health and well-being,” says Remo Taricani, Deputy Head of Italy at UniCredit. 

“Solidarity, loyalty, respect for rules and for others are the basic principles of sport. Sport at school promotes team spirit, being full citizens of our community and our country, being an active part of a healthy community. Sport is a great school for life. That is why Anci believes in the project to promote – through young people and schools – the Rome 2024 European Athletics Championships,” said Roberto Pella, Vice President of Anci. 

“Increasing the practice of sport to promote ‘Sport for All’, a shared value that starts with schools and children across Europe: this is the sense of ACES Europe, proud partner of the Fondazione Roma 2024 in this initiative,” said Gian Francesco Lupattelli, President of ACES Europe.

“The European Athletics Championships are an international event that brings prestige to Rome, and the Your Sport For Life project features our country’s children and their creativity: it is only natural that ACES Italia joins the event, sharing the values of sport,” added Vincenzo Lupattelli, President of ACES Italia. 

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Desalu has a dream: “Winning at the Olympic Stadium like Berruti and Mennea”

From Tokyo to Rome, Fausto Desalu dreams of another triumph in the Olympic Stadium track, which will host the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships from 7 to 12 June (tickets and season tickets on sale here).

The Italian sprinter, Olympic champion together with the teammates of the amazing Italian relay team that won the gold medal in 2021 in Tokyo (Marcell Jacobs, Filippo Tortu and Lorenzo Patta), is now focused on the continental competition in the Eternal City.

‘As happened for Berruti and Mennea,’ says Desalu, ‘I would also like to be remembered for a great performance in the 200 metres at the Olympic Stadium. The European Championships in Rome will be an unrepeatable chance.”

Desalu was born in Casalmaggiore in 1994 and he fell in love with athletics as a child following the Italian long jump champion Andrew Howe. ‘He is the reason why I am here, every time I see him I thank him for this,’ says the sprinter.

The magical night in Tokyo is still fixed in Fausto’s mind. “When I passed the baton to Tortu and finally saw the time of 37.50 on the scoreboard, I had a crazy adrenaline rush. Then we stood on the podium and sang the Italian anthem, a beautiful emotion,’ Desalu recalls. “If I had to choose one person who was in Tokyo to take with me to the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships in June? A good question, I would definitely think of my mum or my adoptive grandparents. Maybe I would bring them all together in one person and take them with me in Rome’.

In the meantime, Fausto is planning the outdoor season to come back stronger. ”Last year I was only able to take part in a couple of competitions, which unfortunately were not enough to get back into the ranking. I have a great desire to return to compete on the track, last month I was in South Africa to train, and now I have the desire to show who I really am,’ Desalu closes.

Credit photo: Colombo\FIDAL

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Roma 2024 Half Marathon course unveiled: running through history

An exciting and iconic road race to be run through a course immersed in the history and magic of Rome. With 70 days to go until the start of the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, scheduled from 7 to 12 June, the Half Marathon course has been unveiled.

The best European athletes will be competing on the morning of Sunday 9 June over a distance of 21.097km. For the first time since 2006 the finish line of a road race of the European Athletics Championships will be inside the stadium, as was the case for the Marathon at the Goteborg 2006 European Athletics Championships, won by Italian star Stefano Baldini 18 years ago.

The Roma 2024 Half Marathon will start from Fori Imperiali at 9 a.m. for men, while the women’s race will get underway at 9.30 a.m.. The course will touch some of the capital’s most iconic sites and monuments, running alongside the “Altare della Patria” in Piazza Venezia, then crossing the main road Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Piazza Navona, heading for “Castel Sant’Angelo” and St. Peter’s Square, before moving towards Piazza Mazzini and reaching Lungotevere Guglielmo Oberdan (the main road of the city along the Tevere river).

After running for about 6 km, the athletes will enter a circuit 4.1km long, to be repeated three times, passing the “Ponte della Musica” bridge and crossing the river on “Ponte Duca D’Aosta” bridge. 

The final part of the half marathon will be run inside the Foro Italico Park, with the finish line inside the Olympic Stadium in front of the fans. An exciting revival of what happened in the Marathons held at the Roma 1974 European Athletics Championships and at the Roma 1987 World Athletics Championships, both concluded inside the stadium. 

The Roma 2024 Half Marathon will also award team medals, which will be added to the total of 141 medals that will be assigned during the Championships, including all individual competitions and relays. 

Among the most awaited Italian athletes at the start of the Half Marathon will be Yeman Crippa and Sofiia Yaremchuk, Italian national record holders in both the Marathon and Half Marathon distances. 

“It will be exciting to run in Rome, at home, surrounded by culture and architectural beauties. There is a lot of expectation for Sunday 9 June, and I hope to see a lot of spectators supporting the Italian athletes and champions coming in the city from all over Europe.” comments Yeman Crippa, European 10,000m champion. 

“I am looking forward to this day of celebration. It will be like running through the history: the course is beautiful, kilometres of emotions will push us from the start in the Fori Imperiali, with the magical Colosseum behind us, to the Foro Italico Park, to finish inside the Olympic Stadium. It will be a fantastic half marathon for Rome that will become the capital of European athletics.” added Sofiia Yaremchuk.

The morning session of Roma 2024 on 9 June will continue with the other competitions scheduled, including the men’s High Jump qualification, with the Italian star Gianmarco Tamberi ready to make his debut ahead of the final scheduled on 11 June. 

Tickets to follow the morning sessions of the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships are on sale here with prices starting from 5 euros plus presale and service fees. 

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Patta: “Roma 2024 is gonna be emotional. Waiting for the As Roma football players”

Like his Italian teammates, he can’t wait for to compete at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, which will be held from 7 to 12 June(tickets on sale here), but he is certain that “it will be a great emotion to compete at home”. Lorenzo Patta, born in Oristano (Sardinia) in 2000, won the Olympic gold medal in the 4×100 relay at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games and he was the first runner in the relay with Marcell Jacobs, Fausto Desalu and Filippo Tortu (37,50 Italian record).

Last year he won the silver medal at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships with Jacobs, Tortu and Rigali. The next goal is to triumph in Rome: “I’ll try to give my best at the European Athletics Championships and to achieve a great result.” Patta said.

The Italian sprinter only discovered athletics in the spring of 2016 through the student competitions, having previously played as a football player for Sardinian club La Palma Monte Urpinu and he used to play as a winger. In love with the Eternal City and supporter of As Roma, he will compete at the Olympic Stadium, the home of his favourite team: “I’d like to see some of the football players follow us and get involved,” Patta revealed.

A graduate in sports science, he has become a specialist in passing the baton in the relays: “How did that happen? There is no specific reason, I like the relay. I put myself out there and learn from my older teammates. I’m quite good at it”.

Patta has determination and enthusiasm without any fear for the competition inside Italian team: “We are ten sprinters for four places? I’m not afraid of competition, it helps me to live better and to give my best during the training and in the races”.

After the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, Lorenzo is looking for Paris 2024 Olympic Games: “Even the gold we won in Tokyo was complicated, the same will be true in Paris. As defending champions, we will do everything we can to repeat our success”.

Credit photo: Grana\FIDAL

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Folorunso: “Competing at home will be a dream. Femke Bol is a model”

She is the Italian national record holder in the 400 hurdles, she set national records also with the 4×400 relays outdoor and indoor, and she has led the national team as captain at the last indoor World Athletics Championships in Glasgow. Now she hopes to make her mark at the upcoming European Athletics Championships in Rome scheduled from June 7th to 12th, 2024. (tickets on sale here).

Ayomide Folorunso, the 27-year-old Italian hurdler, can’t wait to compete at the Foro Italico Park next june: “It will be wonderful to run at home, in such a beautiful stadium like the “Olimpico”. The Golden Gala in Rome is already a highly significant event for friends, family, and all Italian athletics fans, I can’t imagine what is going to happen for the European Athletics Championships – admits Folorunso, under-23 champion in the 400 meter hurdles in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2017 – the magical atmosphere we will find will push us to give our best and will give us the opportunity to test ourselves at the international level. It will be a dream.”

Born in Nigeria, Ayomide (which means “my joy has arrived” in Nigerian, while Folorunso means “under the protection of God’s eyes”) has been living in Fidenza, near Parma, since 2004, where she trains with big ambitions: “My goal has never changed. It is to constantly improve. The desire, my prayer, is for the difficulties of last year to be resolved, and for the achievements reached in the past to serve as the solid base for this year.”

Ayomide is the daughter of a religious teacher and a Pentecostal pastor, she is attending medical university, and on the track, she continues to work to improve: “Track and field is a fairly individual sport, where often you are against yourself. However, behind every athlete, there’s always a collective effort, with dedicated staff guiding the athletes to reach their peak mental and physical conditions. When we come together as a group, the energy of each athlete among us multiplies. A teammate who performs well stimulates you and gives you strength.”

Among the opponents that Folorunso will face at the European Athletics Championships in Rome will be the Dutch world champion Femke Bol, with whom she shared a training base in South Africa in recent months. “Working with such a talented girl and the group of internationally acclaimed athletes that gathered around her helped me understand how to train better: in addition to talent, there is an important mindset. Over the years, I have observed Femke Bol a lot, when training ends she always dedicates herself to specific sessions to strengthen certain parts of the body. Fortunately, it’s a approach I’ve adopted since I was young, but watching such a strong athlete made me understand that this is the right path. In order to improve, you must never neglect the details.”

In addition to hurdles, Folorunso is also one of the pillars of the Italian 4×400 relay team, with which she has won silver and bronze at the indoor European Athletics Championships. “We are a very close-knit group, with a beautiful story. The medals we have won encourage us for the upcoming challenges and make us dream big.”

Roma 2024 is the next opportunity to make history again together with her Italian teammates.

Credit photo: Grana\FIDAL

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Roma 2024 Volunteers, more than 1,300 applications. Campaign open until 26 April

A group of people of all ages, united by a great passion for sports. The team of volunteers who will play an operational role at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, to be held from 7 to 12 June, is taking shape. The “Roma 2024 Volunteers” project has so far received more than 1.300 applications, including around 300 from outside Italy from all continents. Applicants ranged in age from 18 to over 64.

Humangest, as HR supplier to the EuroRoma 2024 Foundation, which is organising the international sports event, continues its recruiting activities.

The term for the applications has been extended until 26 April with the aim of selecting 1.100 people at the end of the process. All those interested in participating in the Europeans as volunteers can fill in the form available here.

The EuroRoma 2024 Foundation also launched a volunteer recruitment campaign in high schools in the Lazio region and in amateur sports clubs (ASD) affiliated to Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL).

To further support the campaign, ‘recruiting days’ will be held around Italy in the coming weeks to provide prospective volunteers with detailed information about the experience they will have during the event. Three dates have already been set for the FIDAL Regional Committees: 27 March in Pescara, 10 April in Naples and 17 April in Rome.

“I have also been a volunteer in the past, at the Olympic Stadium for the Golden Gala and I invite everyone to attend the European Athletics Championships in Rome, which will be an incredible event. We athletes are waiting for you to have fun together, come and cheer us on”, is the message from the Italian national sprinter Lorenzo Simonelli on the Roma 2024 digital channels.

Volunteers who become part of the “Roma 2024 Volunteers” team will have the opportunity to meet the most important European athletes and watch the competitions at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. They will also receive a number of exclusive benefits: access to specific training sessions organised by Humangest and the EuroRoma 2024 Foundation, an official uniform made by Karhu, the official supplier of the event’s technical equipment, which will be given to each volunteer, and participation in a special party.

After the selection phase, volunteers will undergo an initial general training course, both online and in-person, and will then be assigned to specific functional areas related to the organisation of the event:

  • Accreditation
  • Spectator Services
  • Competitions
  • Protocol and Ceremonies
  • Media-Communication
  • Medical-Anti-Doping Area
  • Hotels
  • Logistics
  • Transport
  • Venue
  • Hospitality
  • Sponsor Services
  • Marketing

Some of the volunteers will be around the city of Rome in strategic locations to provide information and cultural tourism services in the run-up to the European Athletics Championships.

Requirements for participation in the Humangest selection process:

a) have reached the age of 18 by 7 June 2024, i.e. by the start of Rome 2024 (or, in the case of secondary activities, have reached the age of majority at the start of the volunteering experience);
b) be Italian citizens with knowledge of English or citizens of other nationalities with basic knowledge of English and Italian;
c) enjoyment of civil and political rights;
d) ensure a minimum availability of participation in the event based on the dates of the official calendar and/or side events.

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Ludo mascot with the Italian relay teams

Ludo, the mascot of the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, was also present at the meeting organised by Fidal for the Italian 4×100 and 4×400 relay athletes, who began their preparations for the World Relays in Nassau (Bahamas) on 4 and 5 May.

At the Paolo Rosi Stadium in Rome, Italian boys and girls met for the first time the friendly mascot of the European Championships, who will be the star of the event to be held at the Olympic Stadium and Foro Italico Park from 7 to 12 June 2024.

As the host country, Italy is automatically qualified for the European Championships in Rome with all five of its relay teams. The 4×400 mixed final is scheduled for the opening night on 7 June, while the men and women 4×100 and 4×400 finals will be held on the same evening on 12 June.

Photo Credit: Fama\FIDAL

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Gaia Sabbatini: “My training in Ostia dreaming about Olympic Stadium”

She is one of Italy’s youngest and more promising middle-distance runners. Gaia Sabbatini, 24 years old, from Teramo, is running fast towards the European Athletics Championships to be held in Rome from 7 to 12 June 2024 (tickets on sale here).

“It will be a very important competition – says Gaia – not only because it is at an international level, but also because it will take place in Italy. I am particularly excited about this. I’m preparing for this date and then I will think about the Olympic Games”.

After setting an excellent personal best in 1500 m at the Diamond League last July (4:01.24), she triumphed in the team medley relay at the European Cross Championships in Venaria Reale in 2022. “It is a magical moment for Italian athletics”, insists Sabbatini, who won gold in the 1500 m at the European U-23 Championships in 2021, “we have a very good technical structure, led by two captains like Tamberi and Palmisano.”

Always very active on social media, she can be considered an Italian athletics “influencer”. “My dream is to publish a specific photo, but I am superstitious and will not say which one”.

The next step is the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, a city that is like a second home for Gaia. “I’ve been living in the Capital for six years. I’m often in Ostia (the closest beach to Rome), where is the pine forest where I spend most of my time running, and I am looking to compete at the Olympic Stadium where I have been for the Golden Gala Meeting, which I attend as a child. I can’t wait to run there again”.

Like her, other Italian athletes are hoping to do well at the Foro Italico Park next June, but Sabbatini is not afraid of the competition. “Having strong athletes at the Italian level charges me a lot. It represents one more reason to do better, we motivate each other on. the movement is growing more and more. We are going to see some big things”.

Credit photo: Colombo\FIDAL

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Pietro Arese and the destiny of his surname: “I want to win like Franco did”

He started a special season in the best possible way, setting a new Italian 3000m indoor record after 27 years.

After finishing seventh at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Italian middle-distance runner Pietro Arese is counting down the days to the start of the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, which will be held at the Olympic Stadium and Foro Italico Park from 7 to 12 June (tickets on sale here).

“The 2022 European Athletics Cross Championships in Venaria are a magical memory for me, coming from Turin, because winning a continental title just a few kilometres from home was really incredible. So I think it will be doubly magical to take part in the European Athletics Championships in Rome, the Eternal City,” said the 1999 Italian champion.

A few days before his memorable performance in the 3000m in Metz (France), Arese had set the 1500m indoor national record in Padova (Italy), later beaten by Federico Riva and Ossama Meslek.

“Starting the season with all these records,” said the Italian athlete, “was amazing, not only for me, but for all the other guys in the Italian national team. It’s very inspiring, personally breaking Gennaro Di Napoli‘s historic record gave me a unique feeling. Now, with the European Athletics Championships coming up in Rome, I said to myself: “Why not try to break the 1500m outdoor record? That would be amazing.” 

Arese is a surname that means a lot to Italian athletics. Franco Arese, former president of FIDAL and now chairman of Karhu, the official supplier of technical equipment to Roma 2024, won the European 1500m title in Helsinki in 1971 as an athlete. “This is another sign of destiny. With Franco Arese we know each other and talk often, even though we are not related. It would be magical to emulate him and win gold in the Olympic Stadium,” admits Pietro.

This optimism also stems from the magical moment experienced by the Italian athletics team. “The atmosphere in the Italian team is light and very stimulating. I think this is the reason for the many positive results. The cohesion among the athletes and the fact that everyone appreciates the victories of the others is a fundamental help that allowed us, for example, to win the Silesia 2023 European Athletics Team Championships. I hope that the same spirit will help us to win more in June,” concludes Arese, who, two years after finishing fourth in the 1500m final at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships, is now aiming for a medal.

Credit photo: Grana\FIDAL

By Admin EAC Roma2024

Mattia Furlani at the Olympic Stadium for football: “Can’t wait to compete here”

The Italian long jumper Mattia Furlani went to the Olympic Stadium last thursday to enjoy the match of As Roma in the Uefa Europa League of football, while waiting to compete at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships next June.

Last 2 March Furlan won the silver medal in the long jump at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow and is already projected towards the great international event scheduled in Rome from 7 to 12 June (ticket on sale here).

The young italian star is dreaming to become European Champion in Rome and, in the meantime, he watched the first leg of the Uefa Europa League round of 16 match between his favourite team, As Roma, and the English side Brighton & Hove Albion FC.

“Today I’m here at the stadium supporting my team, As Roma, and I am waiting for the European Athletics Championship in June. I can’t wait to compete and I’ll be waiting for you all at the Olympic Stadium,’ said Furlani addressing the athletics fans.