Eloisa Coiro sets the new Italian record for the women’s 800 metres. In the heats of the European Championships in Birmingham, the Italian finished in 1:57.56, lowering by a tenth the previous national record of 1:57.66 set by Gabriella Dorio and which remained unbeaten for 46 years.
A performance that also earned Coiro the pass to the semi-final, with the second overall time of the heats.
«Another wall knocked down»
«I’ve looked for it many times, but this time I didn’t expect it and I didn’t set out with the idea of breaking the record. I’m very happy, not so much for the record, but because 1:57 is another wall broken down and I’m not stopping here”, Coiro told Sky Sport after the race.
The Italian then addressed a thought to Dorio, whose record has lasted for almost half a century: «I have a great relationship with Gabriella, she is a source of great inspiration like all the champions in the Azzurri jersey. Being able to overcome it is a great honor and I’m happy to have put my signature on the 800.”
Thus comes one of the most important results of his career for Coiro, with the European semi-final still to be played and the awareness of having broken one of the longest-standing records in Italian athletics.