The middle distance runner Donato Sabia, 56, died twice this morning in Potenza, due to the coronavirus, twice Olympic finalist in the 800 meters, in Los Angeles '84 and Seoul '88, finishing fifth and seventh. Sabia, who won gold at the indoor European Championships in Gothenburg, in the 800s, in 84, was president of the regional committee of Basilicata of Fidal. In recent days, the father had also died in the hospital in Potenza.
Sabia had been hospitalized in intensive care in the San Carlo hospital in Potenza for a few days, almost simultaneously with the death of his father, also in this case due to coronavirus. Sabia was born in Potenza on 11 September 1963. He held the third Italian performance of all time in the 800 meters - with 1'43 "88 - behind Marcello Fiasconaro and Andrea Longo. He had also made the eleventh absolute Italian performance on the 400 meters, with 45 "73. He was world record holder on the 500 meters (with a time of 1'00 "08), remained undefeated for about 29 years. He established it in Busto Arsizio on May 26, 1984. In addition to participating in the Olympic finals in Los Angeles and Seoul and after his victory in the indoor European Championships in Gothenburg, Donato Sabia was fifth in the final of the 4x400 relay at the World Athletics Championships which took place in Helsinki in 1983.
"A dramatic news shakes Italian athletics in an already difficult period for the country". These are the words of Fidal on her website, after the news of Sabia's disappearance spread. Fidal remembers him as "an athlete of extraordinary talent, but above all a kind-hearted person", and notes that "he disappeared within a few days of his father, both lives cut off from the evil that is scourging the whole world".
The president of Fidal Alfio Giomi, the honorary president Gianni Gola, the Federal Council, on behalf of all Italian athletics, express deep condolences and ideally embrace the family in an embrace. "A tragedy in a tragedy - Giomi's words - Donato was a person you couldn't help but love".
