Baldini: “Making mistakes is useful Stano knew how to wait”

the interview

SENT TO EUGENE

Seen from his garage, in 2010, Massimo Stano was already a solo champion who took about ten years to become one and Stefano Baldini, gold in the 2004 Games marathon, followed them all. From when he was a tutor of the national team with the task of keeping an eye on promising young players to today, coach, voice of Sky and “in love with this Italy”.

Of the five gold medals in Tokyo, only Stano was reconfirmed. Phenomenon?

“He has always been an obvious champion, it often happens that boys with that physical quality take time to come out and I am pleased that he has succeeded because he validates two lessons: determination is fundamental and Italy was right to insist on the technique of walking. On the other hand, it happened that it was not considered in the long term ».

The US has filled up with medals, 32, no one has ever won so much.

“Predictable. The post-pandemic has meant that the Olympics have been interpreted differently according to the rules of each state. With us it was possible to practice quite normally. And then there is the US pride which, after the blows taken at the Games, sparked the desire for revenge ».

Is Italy struggling to come to terms with Olympic glory?

«A decline here was physiological, in the year after 2004 I myself paid heavily for a few injuries too many, perhaps facilitated by an extra-sports activity that did not allow me to recover. And then you get the desire to prove that you deserve the gold and want to do more than the body allows. Few are confirmed. The world runs, jumps and launches and if you stop, no one is waiting for you. The Olympic year is beautiful, the next challenging and creates the motivations for the future: in 2023 our big players will be back at their best. They did not cross. Hitting mistakes is useful ».

Wouldn’t it be better to have the courage to stop and regenerate?

“We are human beings. In some places in the world it is easier to manage successes like those of Jacobs and Tamberi ».

Less pressure?

«Yes, but also a different way of understanding sport. There are those who leave the Games and do not consider them exceptional as we do. It is right that our champions indulge themselves and advertise our sport ».

Is there a risk that a talent like Jacobs will be lost?

«The risk is always there, for anyone. There are stages in a career, but they were good enough to reach the top of the world, I speak in the plural because there is a fundamental team there, they will be able to find countermeasures. Now it is more difficult but more challenging. Think of Vallortigara who celebrated the bronze as an absolute success and did well because it is proof that coming back after every missed result made sense. Gimbo and Marcell showed character here. ‘

Did the character change after the Olympics?

“No. I am madly in love with our boys. I have seen them grow and I am biased, but I notice a lot of awareness and few shortcuts. Beyond the rivalries that exist, I find the Azzurri appropriate to the times we live in. They represent us ».

Would you change your post-Olympic management if you could go back?

“Yup. Yet I found myself very much in the words of Marcell, “with hindsight it would have been natural to make other choices”. Impossible, the champions live with a sacred fire that feeds on competition, they look for it, so a Jacobs who is well and sees the possibility of having a good time in Nairobi goes there, he doesn’t wait. The competitive spirit works like this and sometimes leads to sensational debacles ».

Warholm, who has the 400 hurdles record, can lose badly and Jacobs can’t?

«The Norwegian did what I did in 2005: I was not in condition but I only competed to win, accepting the bitter defeat. I had even retired from the Helsinki World Cup marathon. Without thinking about the distribution of effort to get to the podium ».

Does Italy judge too much?

“We are Latin, a bit critical and we start from our limits instead of the qualities of others. Here the others were better ».

What is the Baldini coach doing today?

«I work with twenty athletes, some of my team, Corradini Rubiera, others come from outside. The best are Pietro Riva, who will do the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in Monaco, Rebecca Lonedo, ready to make her debut in the marathon after the European Championships, Icelandic middle-distance runner Hlynur Andresson, Lorenzo Dini now injured. And the door is always open ». –

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