Organized by Cus Savona and Cus Genova, the Memorial Giulio Ottolia is increasingly establishing itself as one of the most significant athletics events at the Italian and international level, thanks to the efforts of its organizing director, Marco Mura, and the Mondotrack® WS track, which attract a first-rate cast.
The facility's surface and structure, Mura confirmed recently, were crucial to the success of the meet:
“I believe that the Mondotrack prefabricated track has influenced the athletes' performance, and the recent Tokyo Olympics also proved this. This track (the one at the Fontanassa Stadium, ed.) has many peculiarities, such as the double homologated straight; according to the wind half an hour before the start of the races we decide whether to run sea-mountain or mountain-sea. This peculiarity enhances the very fast Mondo track.”
Confirming these words is both the very high level of participating athletes and the number of records achieved over the years. Standing out above them all is the Italian 100-meter record, run by Marcell Jacobs in just 9"95 in the 2021 edition, thus dethroning Filippo Tortu's previous record, unbeaten since 2018.
Moving on to the 2022 edition, Mario Lambrughi instead set the meet record in the 400-meter hurdles, with an excellent 49"03.
In the women's event, Zaynab Dosso ran the 100 meters in 11"21, approaching her personal best of 11"19 (best Italian performance 2022), confirming a phenomenal year for the Ivorian-born Italian athlete. The record of the meeting, however, was set by the English Daryll Neita, with 11 ”12.
The record on 200 meters was obtained by the Olympic silver medalist Maryleidi Paulino (Dominican Republic), who ran the half lap of the track in 22 ”59.
Installed in 2012, the Mondotrack® WS track has delivered exceptional performance for the tenth consecutive year. Indeed, thanks to Marco Mura's constant attention, the track has been maintained in perfect condition, ensuring excellent performances in all editions, including the qualification of several athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
From the outstanding results of the athletes to those of the Fontanassa Stadium, a fine example of careful maintenance of an athletics facility, both on the national and international scene.
As in 2018, immediately prior to the memorial, organizational director Marco Mura supervised the deep cleaning of the track to remove the impurities accumulated on the surface, restoring its optimal biomechanical performance and correct energy return levels.
Once this activity was completed, the ring and footpath markings were also restored.
“Another feather in the cap of the Savona Meeting organization that has climbed so many positions in the world rankings is the attention to detail. In recent years, the obsession with the pursuit of maximum performance has also passed through the maintenance of the track (...) Attention to detail is decisive, and this is recognized all over the world.”
As the event's Technical Sponsor, MONDO provided, as it does every year, new athletics equipment, replacing worn-out equipment, particularly the hurdles' crossbars and the long jump's batting board.
“I hope that the exponential growth of the Savona meet - which has taken place especially in the last four years - will not stop here. We are very ambitious. The organizing staff is becoming ever more numerous: we want to grow at the world level.”
The mix of passion, technical preparation and attention to the facility of its organizers will certainly allow this Meeting to write new chapters in the history of athletics.