Filippo Tortu Falls Short in 200 Meters at Paris Olympics
Despite high hopes and expectations, Filippo Tortu, the Italian sprinter, failed to reach the final of the 200 meters at the Paris Olympics. Despite navigating the heats reasonably well, he was eliminated in the semifinals.
Competing in the final heat, Tortu finished fourth with a time of 20.54, falling short of the qualifying time for the final (20.31). This performance was below his personal best of 20.10 and his time at the recent European Championships in Rome (20.14).
The disappointment for Tortu, who holds the Italian record in the 100 meters and was part of the historic Italian gold-medal-winning 4×100 meter relay team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, is significant.
In the semifinals, Tortu appeared stiff from the starting blocks, likely contributing to his below-par performance. Despite a strong finish, he was unable to advance to the final. The eventual winners, Americans Kenneth and Fahnbulleh, finished first and second in 20.09 and 20.12 respectively, while Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu secured the final spot with a time of 20.16.
Despite the setback, Tortu remains optimistic, stating, “I will have to review the race, but I’m already thinking about tomorrow.”
Looking ahead, Tortu will compete in the heat of the 4×100 meter relay on August 8th at 11:35 AM, with the aim of defending their Olympic title from 2021.