Pietro Paolo Mennea (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjɛːtro menˈnɛːa]; 28 June 1952 – 21 March 2013) was an Italian sprinter and politician. He was most successful in the 200 m event, in which he won a gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and set a world record at 19.72 seconds in September 1979. This record stood for almost 17 years – the longest duration in the event history – and is still listed as the European record.
200 metres world record
In 1979, Mennea placed first in the 100 metres and second in the 200 m behind Allan Wells of Great Britain in the European Cup. Later in the year, aged 27, he took part in the World University Games, which were held on the high-altitude track of Mexico City. On 12 September 1979, he won the 200 metres with a time of 19.72.[4] His time set a new world record, beating Tommie Smith's time of 19.83 set on the same track in the 1968 Summer Olympics.[4] The record held for almost seventeen years before Michael Johnson broke it at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials.As of November 2020, only twelve athletes have recorded a better time over 200 metres than Mennea. His time stands as the current European record. He also held the low-altitude world record, 19.96, from 1980 to 1983, set in his home town of Barletta.[3] On 17 August 1980, Mennea became the first sprinter to break 20 seconds for the 200 metres for the third time.
Olympic champion
Entering the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Mennea was a clear favourite for the Olympic gold, in part because of the United States boycott of the Moscow Olympics. In the 200 metre final, Mennea faced reigning champion Don Quarrie and 100 metre champion Allan Wells. Mennea drew the outer most lane with Wells in lane 7 to his inside. Wells got out to a blistering fast start and closed on Mennea within the first 50 m. They approached the straight with Wells more than a two-metre lead on Mennea with Quarrie in second and Silvio Leonard, hampered by his lane 1 draw, in fourth. However, in the straight Mennea gained ground and passed Quarrie and Leonard and at the very end of the race, just beating Wells, winning the gold by a mere 0.02 seconds. Later in the games, he was the anchor man on the Italian bronze medal winning 4 × 400 relay team. He also competed in the 100 metres, reaching the semi-finals.
Achievements
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time Notes
1971 European Championships Finland Helsinki 6th 200 metres 20.88
3rd 4 × 100 m relay 39.78 [14]
1972 Olympic Games Germany Munich 3rd 200 metres 20.30
8th 4 × 100 m relay 39.14
1974 European Championships Italy Rome 2nd 100 metres 10.34
1st 200 metres 20.60
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 38.88
1976 Olympic Games Canada Montreal 4th 200 metres 20.54
6th 4 × 100 m relay 39.08
1978 European Indoor Championships Italy Milan 1st 400 metres 46.51
European Championships Czechoslovakia Prague 1st 100 metres 10.27
1st 200 metres 20.16 Sport records icon CR.svg
5th 4 × 100 m relay 39.11
7th 4 × 400 m relay 3:06.7
1980 Olympic Games Soviet Union Moscow 14th (sf) 100 metres 10.58
1st 200 metres 20.19
3rd 4 × 400 m relay 3:04.54
1982 European Championships Greece Athens 6th 4 × 400 m relay 3:03.21
1983 World Championships Finland Helsinki 3rd 200 metres 20.51
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 38.37 Sport records icon NR.svg
1984 Olympic Games United States Los Angeles 7th 200 metres 20.55
4th 4 × 100 m relay 38.87
5th 4 × 400 m relay 3:01.44
1988 Olympic Games Flag of South Korea.svg Seoul QF 200 metres DNS[15] [16]
Personal bests
Outdoor
100 metres: 10.01 (+0.9 m/s; Mexico Mexico City, 4 September 1979)
200 metres: 19.72 (+1.8 m/s; Mexico Mexico City, 12 September 1979)
300 metres: 32.23 (Italy Rieti, 21 July 1979)
400 metres: 45.87 (Italy Formia, 15 May 1977)
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