End of the Pre-Games Training Camp for the Italian National Team
On August 3, the pre-Games training camp for the Italian National Team, which was hosted by Waseda University’s Tokorozawa Campus, came to an end.
The Italian National Team has approximately 200 athletes and coaches for swimming, fencing, track and field, golf, wrestling, and triathlon, and since July 13 they have gradually arrived at the Tokorozawa Campus and participated in training at the various facilities.
On July 18, during the pre-Games training camp period, an online exchange event planned by the VIVASEDA Olympic and Paralympic Project was held by Waseda University students as a place for exchanges between representative athletes, students, and Tokorozawa City residents, and 120 people deepened friendships with the athletes.
Additionally, on July 26, a public practice session for the track and field team was held at the Mikio Oda Memorial Track and Field Stadium on the Tokorozawa Campus. Approximately 100 Tokorozawa City residents and Waseda University students came and watched the event, maintaining a distance of two meters from each other so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Many Waseda University students also participated in this pre-Games training camp as volunteers, and, while thoroughly implementing measures against the spread of COVID-19, they provided maximum support to the athletes by guiding them and installing/setting competition equipment.
Italian Athletes are Making News at Tokyo 2020
As of the morning of August 3, the Italian National Team had won four gold medals, nine silver medals, and 15 bronze medals.
Among the athletes who have won medals is Lamont Marcell Jacobs, who trained at the Tokorozawa Campus, and then won gold in the 100-meter dash final on August 1. Jacobs had times of 9.94 seconds in qualifying, 9.84 seconds in the semifinals, and 9.80 seconds in the final, all of which were new personal records. This is also the first time in Olympics history that an Italian athlete has won the 100-meter dash.
Gianmarco Tamberi, who also trained at the Tokorozawa Campus, won gold in the men’s high jump final. In the final on August 1, Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar both achieved a height of 2 meters and 37 centimeters, and, because of their identical results, both of the athletes received a gold medal after consulting with the Games organizers. This was also the first time in 109 years, since the Stockholm Games in 1912, that there were multiple gold medalists for the same track and field record.
Additionally, the Italian National Team members who participated in the pre-Games training camp won two silver medals and four bronze medals in swimming and three silver medals and two bronze medals in fencing.
The Tokyo 2020 Games will be coming to an end soon, but we hope that everyone continues to support and cheer on the Italian National Team.