Sogno Tecuceanu has become Italian “I run for the blue”

Athletics. The nineteenth-century artist from Silca Ultralite “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for a long time”

the character

He cheered on the Olympic victories of Jacobs, Tamberi and co. And even before that for the victories in the Under 23 European Championships, which he renounced (he could have participated as a Romanian) because the tricolor he dreams of seeing waving on the podium is the green, white and red one. And the color of the shirt he dreams of wearing is blue. Now, that dream can finally come true. Catalin Tecuceanu, the fastest nineteenth-century driver “in the country” in the last two years, is Italian.

Yesterday, in the town hall of Trebaseleghe, in the presence of the mayor Antonella Zoggia (“I am proud to count Catalin among my citizens, a boy who has committed himself with perseverance and determination to pursue his dream in the world of athletics”), of councilor for sport, Francesca Pizziolo, the president of her company Silca Ultralite VIttorio Veneto, Aldo Zanetti and the coach Lionello Bettin, the swearing-in ceremony and the conferral of Italian citizenship, requested in 2018. The procedure for obtaining eligibility to wear the shirt of the Italian national team. «I am very excited, today is a moment I have been waiting for a long time – said Catalin – I feel Italian, here I have friends and family, here I grew up. I can’t wait to be able to wear the blue shirt, I really care. I will give the best of myself. Now I still have one more incentive to train with greater intensity and commitment. I thank the family, the coach, the club and the Municipality who have always been close to me. I hope to bring the Italian flag to the podium as early as 2022 ».

Tecuceanu arrived in Italy in 2008, when he joined his father with his mother and brothers. From 2012 to 2015 he played in Athletics Noale, in 2016 he joined Silca UItralite. In 2017 he wore the Romanian national team jersey in international competitions and then, in the first half of 2018, he won two Romanian junior titles (800 and 1500). In 2021 the consecration, with two victories, in the 800 first at the Palio della Quercia in Rovereto in 1’45”19 and then in Zagreb in 1’44”93, time under the minimum participation for the world championships of Eugene (USA ) and for the Europeans of Munich in 2022. In the world ranking it is in 25th place. –