Who is Samuele Ceccarelli: the rising star who beat Marcell Jacobs twice in the 60m

After Ancona, Istanbul. Samuele Ceccarelli never ceases to amaze and, in the space of two weeks, he takes away the satisfaction of beating Marcell Jacobs in the 60 meters not once, but twice. On February 19th the Tuscan athlete had signed the feat at the Italian Championships, today (Saturday March 4th) he granted the fabulous encore at the European indoor championships in Istanbul. But who exactly is this guy? He was born in Massa, he is 23 years old, he studies law and in the 100 meters he has a personal best of 10″45. Yet he has managed to leave behind the fastest man in the world. It is difficult to explain how all this could have happened, but to understand Samuele’s exploit we need to take a step back.

The love between him and athletics doesn’t blossom at first sight, then, in 2016, the turning point. The little boy quickly climbs the hierarchies: at the age of 19 he runs the 60m indoors in 6″72 and has his first international experience, wearing the blue shirt. In the 100m he does 10″62. In 2020 he changed company arriving at the court of Marco Del Medico.

A 2022 to throw away

With Del Medico he is based at the Pietrasanta field, where he trains five times a week, as told by the Gazzetta dello Sport. He is the ‘lair’ of Nicola Vizzoni, silver in the hammer at the Australian Games 23 years ago and today federal technician in the throwing sector. After an overall positive 2021, the whole of 2022 should be forgotten for Samuele, who is continually stopped by injuries.

2023: the year of the turning point

At the beginning of 2023, having disposed of the physical problems, in a meeting in Ancona he immediately shoots a 6″65 and a 6″61. Then on the 28th he competed in Spain: 6″69 and 6″65 with a double victory. And on 10 February, at the prestigious ISTAF meeting in Berlin, he finished fourth with a time of 6″58. Preceded by the British Prescod (6″49) and the Germans Hartmann (6″53) and Wagner (6″56). The rest is history: first in Ancona, then in Istanbul.