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‘Do Italy just win everything now?’: Celebrations after Italian athletes take Olympic gold

AFP/The Local
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
‘Do Italy just win everything now?’: Celebrations after Italian athletes take Olympic gold
Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs (R) is congratulated by fellow countrymen, high jump gold medallist Gianmarco Tamberi, after winning the men's 100m final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 1, 2021. (Photo by Cameron Spencer / POOL / AFP)

Italian media on Monday paid tribute to the country’s Olympic medalists, after sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs won the men’s 100 metres and high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi also took gold.

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"No one faster, never so high," read the headline of Italian newspaper Il Messaggero on Monday, under the beaming faces of Jacobs and Tamberi.

All of Italy's newspapers celebrated the historic victories, with La Stampa citing "The Gods of Olympus."

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With a European record of 9.80 seconds, the Texas-born and Italian-raised Jacobs - a relative unknown who had never broken 10 seconds before this year - followed in the swift footsteps of retired Usain Bolt as champion of the blue riband event of the Olympic athletics programme on Sunday.

The victories were hailed by Italian national volleyball team coach Mauro Berruto as "the most extraordinary 20 minutes in the history of Italian sport".

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Tamberi clinched a rare shared gold with Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, after both recorded a best clearance of 2.37 metres. 

After Jacobs' win, the two Italians shared a joyous bear hug, an image played repeatedly on television on Monday.

The dual victories cap a triumphant summer for Italy, fresh from its European Championship football title last month.

The victory for the Azzurri over England was celebrated as a boost for the country after it was among those hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini applauded the Olympic winners Sunday, writing on Twitter that "You are the history. All the medals of these Olympic Games are fantastic. Go Italy."

READ ALSO: Why do Italian athletes wear blue?

After Italy also won the Eurovision song contest earlier this year, the competition’s official Twitter account joked that the country now “wins everything”.

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