Paola Pigni died, the athletics legend was 75 years old

Paola Pigni died. The legend of Italian athletics was 75 years old. The Milanese middle-distance runner wrote one of the most important pages of national athletics with the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics in the 1500 meters flat. To remember the legendary middle-distance runner, Fidal with a press release. “An athlete among the most representative of the blue middle distance, he had worn the national team jersey 33 times and had also been the world record holder of the 1500s in 1969. Deep condolences from the president of Fidal Stefano Mei, the Federal Council and all athletics Born in Milan on December 30, 1945, she started as a sprinter (12.9 in 100 and 27.0 in 200 at 16), then climbing up to preferably marry in 1500 meters. However, she does not hesitate to explore the bottom, even venturing into the marathon , run in Rome on 31 December 1971 (the San Silvestro del Cus Roma) in 3h00: 43 “. “In the 1969 Milan Notturna he brings the world record of 1500 meters to 4: 12.4 after overtaking the Dutch Maria Gommers on the pass (4: 15.0) -remember the Italian Athletics Federation-. These are times of rapid evolution for middle distance running female and later, in the same season, at the European Championships in Athens, while improving further with 4: 12.0, she has to settle for third place behind Jaroslava Jehlicková (4: 10.7, new world record) and Gommers herself (4: 11.9) The same phenomenon, and in an even more striking form, occurs at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich: while improving his Italian record three times in five days (4: 09.53 in heats, 4: 07.83 in the semifinals and 4: 02.85 in the final), in the decisive race she finishes third again, behind the Russian Lyudmila Bragina (4: 01.38, new world record) and the East German Gunhild Hoffmeister (4: 02.83) “. “Her cross titles are exceptional, in 1970 in Vichy (when she was still Cross of the Nations), the two world triumphs in 1973 in Waregem and in 1974 in Monza. Trained by her husband Bruno Cacchi, registered in succession with the Circolo Giuliano Dalmata, with the Sport Club Italia and with the Snia, winner of 19 national titles, from 400 to 3000 and in the cross, and of the Mediterranean Games of 1975, he also held the Italian records of numerous other distances: 400 meters with 54.2 (1966) ; 800 meters with 2: 01.98 (1975); 1 mile with 4: 29.5 (1973), in its world record time; 3000 meters with 8: 56.6 (1973); 5000 meters with 15: 53.6 (1969); 10,000 meters with 35: 30.5 (1970) and 33: 39.0 in the unofficial race in 1972 “; concludes the note from Fidal.