The meeting is stronger than everything. It’s stronger than a season disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and than the increasing organizational challenges. The Golden Gala Pietro Mennea welcomes the international athletics stars in 2020 forty years after the first edition and sixty years after the Olympic Games in Rome. “Since the first day we have had a strong will to hold a traditional meeting, without inventing particular formats or initiatives and we have managed to achieve our goal”, said Meeting Director Luigi D’Onofrio.
Many meetings have been cancelled, the Golden Gala has not. Why?
“We have never thought about cancelling the meeting after the event originally planned at the end of May in Neaples was postponed. From the beginning, in the most dramatic stages of the health crisis, we have worked to ensure the smooth running of this year’s edition, which was originally planned in the Marble Stadium and has now returned to his home at the Olympic Stadium. Even though it had been a Golden Gala meeting with only Italian athletes, we would have held it to give a sign of a re-start for athletics”.
What kind of show will we see ?
“I can say that we have managed to invite most of the athletes, who chose to compete despite the challenges of 2020. We have made an important effort. It’s a full meeting”.
In the pole vault world record holder Duplantis can fly…
“Together with Warholm, Duplantis is the most popular athlete in this period, thanks to his world record of 6.18m but also because of his recent show in Lausanne. I want to remind that the Ingebrigtsen brothers will take part in the 3000m and their presence will add more value to the 3000m race with Italian middle distance star Yeman Crippa”.
Can Italian athletes be among the main stars of the meeting?
“The technical programme has been based on the disciplines, where Italian athletics is stronger. Compared to the original plan we have only added the 3000 metres race, after the anti-Covid rules were eased. Tortu, Jacobs, Tamberi, Fabbri, Bogliolo, Stecchi and of course Crippa: the Golden Gala is a great chance for them”.
Luigi D'Onofrio
Meeting Director
