Athletics, Larissa: comparisons with my mother Fiona will end only when I pass her

"The comparisons with my mother Fiona May? I think they will stop making them when I exceed the number of medals she has won."

From Poland, via videoconference, Larissa Iapichino speaks, the 'daughter of art' who, in the long jump with the 6.91 in Ancona, is, at 18, the seasonal world record holder.

Tomorrow she makes her debut in the national team and for her there is immediately a podium role in the Euroindoor.

To do better than mom Fiona will have to win more than the two Olympic silver (Atlanta and Sydney), the 4 medals at the World Championships and the gold at the Euroindoor of May.

European athletes of the month, Gianmarco Tamberi and Larissa Iapichino are the most anticipated men of the blue expedition to the indoor European Championships in Poland. Tomorrow it's the turn of the 18-year-old daughter of art, who, at lunchtime, will make her debut in blue in the qualifiers of the long (6.70 measure of direct entry to the final scheduled for Saturday at 7.40 pm, or she must remain among the best eight) and will try immediately favorable sensations in just three jumps. Meanwhile, she refuses the role of favorite that someone would like to give her after the 6.91 in Ancona, an equal Italian indoor record, a 'minimum' for the Tokyo Games and an under 20 world record stolen after 38 years from a legend of this discipline, the German Heike Drechsler. "I'm here to gain experience - explains Iapichino -: being seasonal world leaders doesn't count for anything, these are events in which experience prevails. It's a particular year and not all of them are in great shape at this point of the season, because they are preparing for Tokyo. . I go to the platform with the usual enthusiasm, I consider it the dress rehearsal of the Olympics. Who are my rivals? I never look at the start lists, today I exchanged a few words with the world champion Malaika Mihambo, she is my favorite and will be an honor to compete with her. And apart from two or three jumpers, the best are all here. So I just want to have fun and jump as far as possible. Over the past couple of years I have developed this ability to be a racing animal, but now it is slightly different because I find myself in a particular situation, it's my first national team, the teammates were fantastic, but I won't have to be surprised by the emotion. Dad Gianni and Mum Fiona? N I'm not here in Torun, and I agree that I should have my personal experience without being too influenced. " Meanwhile, it is not possible to pretend nothing has happened after Ancona, when she demonstrated what she is made of and that she could really be a very worthy heir to her mother Fiona May, 4 medals at the World Championships, two Olympic silver and one gold at the indoor Europeans. "The comparisons with my mother? I think they will stop making them when I exceed the number of medals she has won." A goal that is certainly not easy to achieve, but she is the great promise of Italian athletics, the champion of tomorrow who maybe could become one already this weekend. "There has been a lot of talk about me, but I feel the same as before - says Larissa -, in many things I am still a child, I am only 18 years old and, as I said, I am here to gain experience. I improved the Drechsler record. , but as crazy as it was, I tried to keep my normality - he says -. I just got my driver's license, an important step, something that brings me close to adulthood. And I'm heading towards the Maturity exam, next week I'll have the Invalsi rehearsals at school. I'm still very 'child' in everything, starting with my shyness. Only on the platform do I show a few years more ". And it is no coincidence that many hope that this competitive maturity will take her far.