Pietro Mennea
Writing
Biography
Pietro Paolo Mennea, nicknamed la Freccia del Sud ("the Arrow of the South"), was an Italian sprinter and politician. He was most successful in the 200m event, winning a gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, and setting a world record at 19.72 seconds in September 1979. This record stood for almost 17 years – the longest duration in the event history – and is still the European record. He is the only male sprinter who has qualified at four consecutive 200 metres Olympic finals: from 1972 to 1984.
Known For
A 1981 documentary film directed by Yuri Ozerov. It showed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow. The director was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1982. The film was selected as the Soviet entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 54th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
O Sport, You Are Peace!
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Pietro Mennea - La freccia del sud
A man wearing shorts leaves his house to go jogging with his dog. All around him, Rome struggles awake at dawn. A lengthy marathon from St. Peter's to the Appian Way, a single shot crammed with centuries of history, freak encounters, and a wacky, vivid sincerity.