Pietro Mennea
Born
June 28, 1952
Died
March 21, 2013 (60 years old)
Known For
Writing
Place of Birth
Barletta, Apulia, Italy
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.
