The Golden Gala Pietro Mennea is named in honor of one of the most colorful athletes in all of Italian sports. Mr. Mennea was a total rock star. With 3 Olympic medals (1972, 200m bronze, 1980, gold, 200m, 4x100m bronze), Pietro competed in five Olympics. His claim to fame was his 1979 WR at 200m, running 19.72 at the World University Games, breaking Tommie Smith's WR of 19.83 from 1968! Micheal Johnson finally broke Mennea's WR at the Olympic Trials in 1996. Pietro Mennea's 200m WR is still the European Record.
A rockstar? Consider this! In 1976, Mr. Mennea was not happy with his form, so he declined an Olympic position. The Italian sports fans would have nothing of that, so Pietro reconsidered his decision and he took 4th in the 200m and lead his team to a sixth in the 4x100m relay.
Pietro Mennea, photo courtesy of FIDAL.it
To this viewer, Mennea had a blazing start, plus his turn in the 200m was amazing. Take a look at the 1980 Olympic 200m, and see how he took Alan Wells, the 100m champ, down in the final meters.
Pietro Mennea retired a few times. He retired in 1983, but came back and took a bronze in the 200m in Helsinki 1983, the inaugural World Championships. In 1984, Mennea made the 4th Olympic final at 200m, taking seventh in the final. No one had ever done that before. He un retired once again for his fifth Olympic team, in 1988, competing in the rounds of the 200m and carrying the flag for Italy.
This wonderfully colorful athletic character spent time as an agent, and politician. After many years of battling cancer, Pietro Mennea died on 21 March 2013.
One final tidbit. Pietro Mennea has a asteroid named after him, 73891 Pietromennea. This was done by the Minor Planet Center on 31 January 2018, (M.P.C. 108697).
The Golden Gala Pietro Mennea was a wonderful event in 2019! I was fortunate to go in 2010 and 2011 and loved the setting and how the young fans get into the meet!
Please find the complete results below!
06/06/2019
Golden Gala Pietro Mennea
Roma (Stadio Olimpico), 06/06/2019
Men's results
200 Metres - Men - Diamond Discipline Wind: +0.7 m/s
Pts
1 Norman , Michael USA 19.70 8
2 Lyles , Noah USA 19.72 7
3 Quiñónez , Alex ECU 20.17 6
4 Guliyev , Ramil TUR 20.35 5
5 Tortu , Filippo ITA 20.36 4
6 Richards , Jereem TTO 20.52 3
7 Baloyes , Bernardo COL 20.59 2
8 Mitchell-Blake , Nethaneel GBR 20.68 1
9 Reid , Leon IRL 20.83
800 Metres - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Brazier , Donavan USA 1:43.63 8
2 Amos , Nijel BOT 1:43.65 7
3 McBride , Brandon CAN 1:43.90 6
4 Rotich , Ferguson Cheruiyot KEN 1:44.11 5
5 Murphy , Clayton USA 1:44.59 4
6 Kinyamal , Wyclife KEN 1:44.65 3
7 Kszczot , Adam POL 1:44.74 2
8 Lewandowski , Marcin POL 1:45.32 1
9 Kramer , Andreas SWE 1:45.33
10 Abdalla , Abubaker Haydar QAT 1:45.53
Abda , Harun USA DNF
5000 Metres - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Bekele , Telahun Haile ETH 12:52.98 8
2 Barega , Selemon ETH 12:53.04 7
3 Gebrhiwet , Hagos ETH 12:54.92 6
4 Balew , Birhanu BRN 12:56.26 5
5 Hadis , Abadi ETH 12:56.48 4
6 Ahmed , Mohammed CAN 12:58.16 3
7 Pingua , Edward Zakayo KEN 13:03.19 2
8 Butchart , Andrew GBR 13:09.33 1
9 Crippa , Yemaneberhan ITA 13:09.52
10 Knight , Justyn CAN 13:09.76
11 True , Ben USA 13:09.81
12 Birgen , Bethwell KEN 13:10.21
13 Kiplangat , Davis KEN 13:11.65
14 Ingebrigtsen , Filip NOR 13:11.75
15 Kifle , Aron ERI 13:13.85
16 Chelimo , Oscar UGA 13:20.10
17 Tanui , Paul Kipngetich KEN 13:23.13
18 Mengesha , Milkesa ETH 13:25.74
19 Willis , Nicholas NZL 13:56.94
Hiss Bachir , Youssouf DJI DNF
Letting , Vincent KEN DNF
3000 Metres Steeplechase - Men - Promotional Event
1 Kigen , Benjamin KEN 8:06.13
2 Wale , Getnet ETH 8:06.83
3 Beyo , Chala ETH 8:09.95
4 Kipsang , Lawrence Kemboi KEN 8:15.68
5 Carro , Fernando ESP 8:15.73
6 Bayer , Andrew USA 8:16.52
7 Chemutai , Albert UGA 8:16.66
8 Ben Zahra , Abdelkarim MAR 8:18.12
9 Kipyego , Barnabas KEN 8:20.12
10 Arce , Daniel ESP 8:20.16
11 Zoghlami , Osama ITA 8:20.88
12 Seddon , Zak GBR 8:21.28
13 Ezzaydouny , Ibrahim ESP 8:23.36
14 Chiappinelli , Yohanes ITA 8:24.26
15 Bett , Nicholas Kiptanui KEN 8:29.45
16 Haileselassie , Yemane ERI 8:32.62
17 Kibiwot , Abraham KEN 8:32.64
Kones , Wilberforce Chemiat KEN DNF
Nganga , Bernard KEN DNF
110 Metres Hurdles - Men - Diamond Discipline Wind: +0.4 m/s
Pts
1 Shubenkov , Sergey ANA 13.26 8
2 Pozzi , Andrew GBR 13.29 7
3 Alkana , Antonio RSA 13.30 6
4 Constantino , Gabriel BRA 13.50 5
4 Trajkovic , Milan CYP 13.50 5
6 Manga , Aurel FRA 13.51 3
7 Perini , Lorenzo ITA 13.58 2
8 Cabral , Johnathan CAN 13.61 1
9 Ortega , Orlando ESP 14.00
400 Metres Hurdles - Men - Promotional Event
1 Benjamin , Rai USA 47.58
2 Kendziera , David USA 48.99 r
3 Abe , Takatoshi JPN 49.57
4 Barr , Thomas IRL 49.65
5 Selmon , Kenneth USA 49.83
6 Hann , Mamadou Kasse FRA 50.00
7 Bencosme de Leon , José Reynaldo ITA 50.36
8 Dobek , Patryk POL 50.38
9 Mägi , Rasmus EST 50.52
High Jump - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Bondarenko , Bohdan UKR 2.31 8
2 Ghazal , Majd Eddin SYR 2.28 7
3 Nedasekau , Maksim BLR 2.28 6
4 Tamberi , Gianmarco ITA 2.28 5
5 Ivanyuk , Ilya ANA 2.28 4
6 Starc , Brandon AUS 2.22 3
7 Protsenko , Andriy UKR 2.22 2
8 Przybylko , Mateusz GER 2.19 1
9 Eto , Takashi JPN 2.19
9 Lovett , Django CAN 2.19
11 Tobe , Naoto JPN 2.15
McBride , Bryan USA NM
Triple Jump - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts Wind
1 Craddock , Omar USA 17.50 8 +0.5
2 Pichardo , Pedro Pablo POR 17.47 7 -0.6
3 Scott , Donald USA 17.43 6 -0.5
4 Zango , Hugues Fabrice BUR 17.30 5 -0.5
5 Babayev , Nazim AZE 17.06 4 +0.2
6 Díaz , Andy CUB 17.00 3 +0.4
7 Benard , Chris USA 16.88 2 -0.6
8 Copello , Alexis AZE 16.74 1 -0.7
9 Zhu , Yaming CHN 16.73 -0.4
10 Évora , Nelson POR 16.69 -0.5
11 Torrijos , Pablo ESP 16.25 -0.1
Shot Put - Men - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Bukowiecki , Konrad POL 21.97 8
2 Hill , Darrell USA 21.71 7
3 Romani , Darlan BRA 21.68 6
4 Kovacs , Joe USA 21.46 5
5 Haratyk , Michal POL 21.26 4
6 Richards , O'Dayne JAM 20.93 3
7 Nedow , Tim CAN 20.57 2
8 Enekwechi , Chukwuebuka NGR 20.54 1
9 Jensen , Curtis USA 19.84
10 Stanek , Tomáš CZE 19.66
11 Fabbri , Leonardo ITA 19.36
Women's results
100 Metres - Women - Diamond Discipline Wind: +0.6 m/s
Pts
1 Thompson , Elaine JAM 10.89 8
2 Asher-Smith , Dina GBR 10.94 7
3 Hobbs , Aleia USA 11.12 6
4 Ta Lou , Marie-Josée CIV 11.14 5
5 Prandini , Jenna USA 11.17 4
6 Rosa , Vitoria Cristina BRA 11.22 3
7 Collins , Shania USA 11.34 2
8 Tenorio , Ángela Gabriela ECU 11.38 1
9 Gardner , English USA 11.42
400 Metres - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Naser , Salwa Eid BRN 50.26 8
2 Jackson , Shericka JAM 51.05 7
3 McPherson , Stephenie Ann JAM 51.39 6
4 Beard , Jessica USA 51.55 5
5 Swiety-Ersetic , Justyna POL 52.04 4
6 Ellis , Kendall USA 52.09 3
7 de Witte , Lisanne NED 52.17 2
8 Okolo , Courtney USA 52.17 1
9 Lukudo , Raphaela Boaheng ITA 52.98
1500 Metres - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Dibaba , Genzebe ETH 3:56.28 8
2 Muir , Laura GBR 3:56.73 7
3 Tsegay , Gudaf ETH 3:59.96 6
4 Simpson , Jenny USA 4:01.18 5
5 DeBues-Stafford , Gabriela CAN 4:01.28 4
6 McColgan , Eilish GBR 4:02.29 3
7 Purrier , Elinor USA 4:02.34 2
8 Embaye , Axumawit ETH 4:02.65 1
9 Arafi , Rababe MAR 4:03.25
10 Chebet , Winny KEN 4:03.86
11 Samuel , Alemaz ETH 4:04.43
12 Hailu , Lemlem ETH 4:04.78
13 Pérez , Marta ESP 4:07.14
14 Bobocea , Claudia Mihaela ROU 4:07.61
15 Seyaum , Dawit ETH 4:18.78
Tuei , Emily Cherotich KEN DNF
Yarigo , Noélie BEN DNF
400 Metres Hurdles - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Muhammad , Dalilah USA 53.67 8
2 Little , Shamier USA 54.40 7
3 Hejnová , Zuzana CZE 54.82 6
4 Carter , Kori USA 55.09 5
5 Russell , Janieve JAM 55.42 4
6 Ryzhykova , Anna UKR 55.64 3
7 Watson , Sage CAN 55.71 2
8 Folorunso , Ayomide ITA 55.99 1
9 Sprunger , Léa SUI 56.36
Pole Vault - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Bengtsson , Angelica SWE 4.76 8
2 Morris , Sandi USA 4.66 7
2 Peinado , Robeilys VEN 4.66 7
4 Silva , Yarisley CUB 4.66 5
5 Nageotte , Katie USA 4.66 4
5 Stefanidi , Katerina GRE 4.66 4
7 Guillon-Romarin , Ninon FRA 4.56 2
7 Sidorova , Anzhelika ANA 4.56 2
9 Li , Ling CHN 4.56
10 Kiriakopoulou , Nikoleta GRE 4.56
11 Malavisi , Sonia ITA 4.31
Moser , Angelica SUI NM
Suhr , Jennifer USA NM
Long Jump - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts Wind
1 Mihambo , Malaika GER 7.07 8 +0.5
2 Ibarguen , Caterine COL 6.87 7 -1.4
3 Reese , Brittney USA 6.76 6 +1.5
4 Sokolova , Yelena ANA 6.68 5 +0.1
5 Bekh-Romanchuk , Maryna UKR 6.64 4 +0.2
6 Španovic , Ivana SRB 6.62 3 -1.8
7 Mironchyk-Ivanova , Nastassia BLR 6.59 2 -0.1
8 Lesueur-Aymonin , Éloyse FRA 6.39 1 +0.5
9 Proctor , Shara GBR 6.30 0.0
10 Strati , Laura ITA 6.27 +1.6
11 Malone , Chantel IVB 6.27 -0.8
12 Ugen , Lorraine GBR 6.23 0.0
Javelin Throw - Women - Diamond Discipline
Pts
1 Lyu , Huihui CHN 66.47 8
2 Tugsuz , Eda TUR 64.51 7
3 Muze , Lina LAT 63.72 6
4 Winger , Kara USA 63.11 5
5 Hussong , Christin GER 63.02 4
6 Ogrodníková , Nikola CZE 62.02 3
7 Špotáková , Barbora CZE 61.51 2
8 Khaladovich , Tatsiana BLR 61.32 1
9 Ratej , Martina SLO 57.96
10 Liu , Shiying CHN 57.37
11 Bani , Zahra ITA 56.95
12 Jemai , Sara ITA 55.32
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