Dosso and Glave shine with world-class sprint victories at Memorial Giulio Ottolia in Savona
World and European indoor champion Zaynab Dosso and Great Britain’s Romell Glave headlined a high-quality evening of athletics at the 15th edition of the Memorial Giulio Ottolia in Savona, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting, with impressive victories in the 100 metres.
Women’s 100 metres
World and European indoor champion Zaynab Dosso stormed to victory in the women’s 100 metres in 11.07 with a legal wind of +2.0 m/s, recording the fourth-fastest performance of her career. The Italian star finished just 0.06 shy of the national record of 11.01 that she set at the European Championships in Rome and secured her second career victory in Savona. Earlier in the afternoon, Dosso had clocked 11.14 in the heats.
Great Britain’s Imani Lansiquot finished second in 11.12 ahead of European indoor bronze medallist Patrizia Van der Weken from Luxembourg, who placed third in 11.18.
Zaynab Dosso: “I am improving mentally, as I am now learning to compete when I am in a full period of training. I enjoyed competing at the World Relays in Gaborone. I want to compete more frequently in the Diamond League. I will run in Rabat, Stockholm, Oslo and Doha.”
Men’s 100 metres
Great Britain’s Romell Glave, the European bronze medallist from Rome 2024, won the men’s 100 metres in a wind-assisted 9.88 (+2.7 m/s). Colombia’s Romel Longa, last year’s Savona winner, finished second in 9.98.
Italy’s Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, competing in his first 100 metres race since the World Championships in Tokyo, placed third in 10.01.
Men’s shot put
European champion Leonardo Fabbri claimed the fourth Savona victory of his career in the men’s shot put with a winning mark of 21.88m in the second round during only his second outdoor competition of the season. Fabbri also produced throws of 21.71m and 21.18m and registered a huge foul beyond the 22-metre barrier.
Scott Lincoln from Great Britain, fourth at the 2026 World Indoor Championships in Torun, finished second with 20.80m ahead of Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki, who threw 20.70m.
Leonardo Fabbri: “I expected to throw beyond the 22 metres, but I am happy with my competition. This result gives me confidence for the next competitions. I will travel to Xiamen on Thursday morning. I will then compete in Rabat and Rome.”
Women’s triple jump
Olympic champion Thea Lafond from Dominica won the women’s triple jump for the fourth time in her career in Savona with a wind-assisted 14.49m (+2.2 m/s) in the opening round, just three days after jumping 14.84m into a headwind of -1.2 m/s in Puerto Rico.
Italy’s Dariya Derkach leapt 14.45m with a +2.1 m/s wind in the third round to secure second place, while Sweden’s Maja Askag finished third with 13.92m.
Thea Lafond: “I felt the jet lag, as I flew from Puerto Rico for 12 hours. I always enjoy competing in Savona. It is one of the best places for competitions. I am planning to compete in two Diamond League meetings in Oslo and Doha.”
Men’s 200 metres
Charles Dobson won the men’s 200 metres in 20.26 into a headwind of -0.3 m/s ahead of meeting record holder Reynier Mena from Cuba (20.35) and Great Britain’s Jona Efoloko (20.88).
Dobson secured his second career win in Savona two years after setting the meeting record of 44.46 in the 400 metres.
Charles Dobson: “I did not have a great start, but I came off the bend well. I came close to my PB of 20.19. It was nice to come back to Savona. I will run my next race in the 400 metres in Bydgoszcz. It will be cool to have the European Championships on home soil in Birmingham this year.”
Women’s 200 metres
Maboundo Konè won the women’s 200 metres in a wind-assisted 22.76 (+2.6 m/s), edging Great Britain’s Success Eduan, who finished second in 22.79.
Women’s 400 metres
Ireland’s Sharlene Mawdsley won the women’s 400 metres in 50.52, breaking the meeting record of 50.71 set by Marileidy Paulino in 2022. It marked Mawdsley’s second career victory in Savona.
Talitha Diggs finished second in 51.47, while Italian indoor champion Eloisa Coiro improved her personal best to 51.79, breaking the 52-second barrier for the first time in her career.
Men’s 400 metres
Eugene Omalla from the Netherlands won the men’s 400 metres in 45.65. Italy’s Lorenzo Benati dipped under 46 seconds for the first time since 2023 with 45.73.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles
Hungary’s Luca Kozak, European indoor silver medallist in Munich 2022, won the women’s 100 metres hurdles for the second time in her career in Savona, clocking 12.86 in a dramatic photo finish with Finland’s Sara Keskitalo, who recorded the same time.
Italian record holder Giada Carmassi placed third in 12.93 ahead of national outdoor champion Elena Carraro (12.94). European Under-20 bronze medallist Alessia Succo equalled her Italian Under-20 record with 13.14, which also stands as a European Under-18 all-time best over 84 cm hurdles.
Men’s 110 metres hurdles
Spain’s Asier Martínez, European champion in Munich and world bronze medallist in Eugene 2022, won the men’s 110 metres hurdles in a wind-assisted 13.34 (+2.2 m/s). France’s Romain Lecoeur finished second in 13.41 ahead of Italy’s Lorenzo Simonelli, who clocked 13.61.
Women’s 800 metres
Rachel Klopfenstein (née Pellaud) from Mauritius won the women’s 800 metres in a meeting and national record of 1:59.82, finishing ahead of Ethiopia’s Under-20 athlete Mulugeta Samrawit, who clocked 2:00.18.
Men’s 1500 metres
Portugal’s José Carlos Pinto won the men’s 1500 metres in a meeting record of 3:33.36. Canada’s Kieran Lamb finished second in 3:33.85 ahead of Spain’s Ignacio Fontes (3:34.25) and Norway’s 2023 world bronze medallist Narve Gilje Nordås (3:34.37).
Men’s 400 metres hurdles
Great Britain’s Alastair Chalmers won the men’s 400 metres hurdles in 48.68 ahead of Spain’s Jesús Delgado (49.23) and fellow Briton Joshua Faulds (49.43).
Women’s 400 metres hurdles
Ukraine’s Viktoriya Tkachuk, an Olympic finalist in Tokyo 2021, won the women’s 400 metres hurdles in 55.42 ahead of two-time World University Games champion Alice Muraro from Italy (55.72) and Poland’s Anna Gryc (55.92).
