Turin continues to be a reference point for Italian and international athletics, as evidenced by the success of the Meeting of Athletics that Primo Nebiolo Stadium hosts each year. The right chance to see at work great champions and the promises of worldwide athletics.
On June 12, 2010 at Primo Nebiolo stadium, in Parco Ruffini (Turin), there took place the 16th Edition of the International Athletics Meeting, the 11th Memorial Primo Nebiolo. Once again, the capital of Piedmont showed how close its relationship with athletics is, a relationship that has lasted for a long time; from 1963 to1983. In fact, Turin hosted the meeting which was attended by big national and international names of athletics, such as Livio Berruti, Sara Simeoni, Alberto Juantorena, Sebastian Coe, just to name a few. After a break due to economic reasons, the competition resumed in 1995 through the efforts of some important figures of athletics in Turin: Riccardo D’Elicio, Diego Bastino, Franco Arese, Ludovico Perricone, and Gianni Romeo. The rebirth of the event, which saw a great effort by the CUS Torino, has led to enter the new Meeting in a short time in the circuit IAAF, first as Permit Meeting and since 2009 as Grand Prix II. One of the features most appreciated by this event, directly derived from the CUS, is the focus on emerging talents, and the established champions. In Turin, many great athletes took their first steps towards international recognition, such as Hicham El Guerrouj and Marion Jones, in addition to such great champions as Marlene Ottey, Fiona May and Ivan Pedroso.
The friendship between the Primo Nebiolo and the Stroppiana family, owners of the Mondo company, created a very close relationship between the CUS Torino and the company of Alba. Mondo has provided its products to the Meets for many years and in 2009, when it was decided to renovate the track stadium, the choice was to useo Mondotrack SX surface, It is IAAF approved, and is similar to the one used at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 (Mondotrack FTX), appeared to be natural fit. “It is an excellent product added to a venue now considered by everyone as the favorite of Italian athletics,” said Riccardo D’Elicio, president of CUS Torino. A track appreciated by all the athletes, that in the 2010 edition of the Memorial Primo Nebiolo saw as the unique protagonist Cuban Dayron Robles, win the 110 hurdles with a time of 13”08. Other players were Kaki of Sudan, who won the 800 m with a time of 1’43”47, and Michael Frater, a Jamaican, who won the 100 meters with a time of 10”21
The new track made the stadium even more special than it already was for popular athletes and audiences due to its particular conformation. Due to the track being lower than the ground level and large steps, it made the visibility excellent from any point of the stands and athletes could feel the excitement of the public that seemed to be almost set on the track. In recent years, the stadium has undergone many renovations and improvements: in 2000, the track and platforms were renovated with a Sportflex Super X (also produced by Mondo); in 2002, the lighting was inaugurated; in 2004, construction was completed for the cover of the finish line stand and for the preparation of the press gallery; in 2009, in addition to the installation of a new track, there was also the rebuilding of the jump platforms. “Today I think I can say that the Meeting, thanks to Mondo, is the most important sporting event organized in our region for the Italian athletics, and continues to be an event of high technical and organizational quality. We can also say that in Turin there continues to bethe love for athletics and the Meeting is the reference point for our federation,” commented D’Elicio.
The Meeting in Turin, as well as the competitive side, best represents the values that were dear to Primo Nebiolo, the same that the CUS Torino carries on through the Association of Primo Nebiolo Voluntary Sport. Founded in 2007, the Association aims to promote projects focused on encouraging the practice and the positive values of sport to the citizens of every country and nation, promoting interculturalism, integration and moral, social, and cultural progress of individuals, and overall the respect for human rights.