Pietro Mennea, the museum in Rome for his memory

At 10.01, a time coinciding with the historic time over the 100 meters of 1979 in Mexico City, a shot echoes in the Stadio dei Marmi.

The new run of Pietro Mennea, ten years after his indelible death, begins like this. And it will continue, in the spring of 2024, with the establishment of a museum in his memory within the Roman facility of the Foro Italico which already bears his name.

The desire of the «Freccia del Sud» will become reality shortly before the European Athletics Championships in 2024: the works for the museum will soon start, partly financed by the 80 million Pnrr donated by the Government to Sport and Health.

«It was his dream – says Manuela Oliveri, wife of the late sprinter – he had personally drawn up the project. After his disappearance, it seemed right to continue his will. When Sport and Health proposed the Stadio dei Marmi as the site of the museum, I understood that we had fulfilled his wish: it will be for young people, as Pietro wanted, to make them men of value ».

All the highest institutional and sporting offices took part in the front row at the event commemorating the tenth anniversary of Mennea’s death.

«Mennea entered the Cozzoli home even before being a champion – says Vito Cozzoli, president of Sport and Health – since my mother was his English teacher. Pietro was the champion of the people and of the people: I still keep his autograph on the ticket for the opening day of the 1974 European Athletics Championships ».

According to the Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi, «the museum will be fast and in the name of technology. I would like his example to be a boost for the whole country ».

Giovanni Malagò, president of Coni, adds that «Mennea’s 19”72 undoubtedly represents the greatest Italian sporting feat of all time. In everyone’s lexicon there is a phrase that makes us understand its popularity: that “What are you Mennea?” when someone runs fast”.