| It was a great weekend of competition in Ancona, where more than 1500 athletes took part at the Italian Masters Indoor Championships over three days from February 23rd to 25th. For the third year in a row, this event showed similar large participation figures and thus confirming the boost experienced in recent seasons. |  |
But in the city who put continental titles up for grabs twice, in 2009 and 2016, the Italians are getting in shape for the upcoming European Masters Athletics Championships Indoor next month (March 19-24) in Madrid , Spain .
Thirty-five new national age group records have been set. Among the most notable performances, former Olympian Marco Torrieri – who ran 200m and 4x100m relay in Athens 2004 – clocked 6.88 at 60m, breaking country’s SM40 best time. Anyway, the big story came perhaps from Hubert Indra, who recently overcame a severe health condition – a tongue cancer – and now is able to score 4199 points in the M60 pentathlon, but also to run the 60m hurdles in 9.48, finishing his efforts with a clear of 3.70 in pole vault. Elsewhere on the track, an entertaining battle in W45 800m between former world champions saw Emanuela Baggiolini conquer the title in 2:18.24 to beat Paola Tiselli. In race walking, Ettorino Formentin missed the 3000m M70 world record by just one second in 15:40.28. For the first time in Italy an almost 95-year-old, Antonio Nacca, completed four indoor events: 3000m, 1500m, 800m and a leg in 4x200m relay. Also, some athletes from other countries – like Spain’s Emilia Paunica in sprint – were admitted, although out of competition.
The event had a full coverage in free live video streaming operated by FIDAL Servizi with three cameras and on-screen graphics for indoor competitions, but meanwhile the National Winter Championships for long throws were contested, too. EMA Treasurer Gerardo Vaiani Lisi, also a National Federation council member, attended the competition with Moreno Beggio, EMA Indoor Manager and Competition Director for European Masters Athletics Championships in Venice 2019, next year’s continental event which had a promotional stand in Ancona. Giuseppe Ottaviani, born in 1916, did not compete on this occasion, but was present to share again his passion for athletics with friends and is looking forward to compete at the Euros in Madrid.
Full reports and results are available at FIDAL (Italian Athletics Federation) website: http://www.fidal.it/calendario/CAMPIONATI-ITALIANI-INDOOR-e-di-LANCI-INVERNALI-MASTER/COD6589
On-demand videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/atleticaitaliana/videos
Luca Cassai