Historic Eloisa Coiro in the 800 meters, Gabriella Dorio’s record broken

Eloisa Coiroenters the history ofItalian athleticsfor establishing the newnational record of the 800 meters. The 25 year old Roman middle distance runner in the heats of theEuropean Championships in Birminghamhe ran a sensational time, 1’57″56, a tenth less than the limitGabriella Doriowhich had stood for 46 years, 1’57″66 in Pisa on 5 July 1980, the longest-standing Italian female record.

Coiro was the protagonist of a race conducted with tactical intelligence, remaining covered in the group until the final straight where she recovered two positions to finish in second place in the wake of the British Olympic championKeely Hodgkinson(1’57″28). 2026 will also be remembered for the fall of the two ancient records of Italian athletics, those of the 800 meters: just over a month agoFrancesco Pernicirunning in 1’43″60 he beat the 53-year-old recordMarcello Fiasconaro.

The words of Eloisa Coiro

“Gabriella Dorio she has always been an inspiration to me, a great athlete and a fantastic woman, all my love goes to her. For me this record means a lot and I’ve been looking for it for a long time, I didn’t look at the passages so at the end of the race I was completely surprised. I felt great, now I no longer put limits on myself: in Europe there is a very high level, we need to exploit it.” These are the words ofEloisa Coiroin the mixed zone ofAlexander Stadiumof Birmingham after setting the new Italian record for the 800 meters in the heat of the European Athletics Championships.

The longest standing record broken

The standard bearer of theBlue Flames25 years old from Rome, ran the 800 meters in 1’57″56, improving by just a tenth the oldest Italian athletics record, that ofGabriella Doriodated Pisa, 5 July 1980.

The coincidence with Los Angeles 1984

Among the curiosities, the student ofEmilio De Bonisimproved the record exactly 42 years after Dorio’s triumph, in the 1500 metres, at1984 Los Angeles Olympics(it was August 11th).