• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Italian Sprint Heroes – Livio Berruti 200m Rome 1960

You are here: Home / Book Reviews / Italian Sprint Heroes – Livio Berruti 200m Rome 1960
10
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

October 11, 2009 by Jimson Lee 2 Comments

Last Updated on March 28, 2010 by Jimson Lee

During my prime running years, Pietro Mennea’s 200m WR was the holy grail.  19.72 was the 200m WR standard for 17 years.

In fact, Pietro Mennea won the 200m 1980 Olympics in the Moscow Boycotted Olympics.  He also won the Bronze medal at 1972 Munich Olympics at the same distance.  Mennea competed in 4 5 Olympics (72-76-80-84-88).

When Mike Marsh eased up in the 1992 Barcelona 200m SF in 19.73, people (including Marsh) were kicking themselves asking why didn’t he run right through.

No matter.. Michael Johnson would break that longstanding WR at the 1996 Olympic Trials, then demolish it with a 19.32.

Of course, Usain Bolt would break that record 12 years later with his 19.30 then 19.19 one year later.

But before Pietro Mennea, Italy had another 200m sprint champion.

Does the name Livio Berruti ring a bell?

Who the heck is Livio Berruti?

Livio Berruti - Lester Carney - Abdul Seye - 1960 Rome Olympics

The photo shows the 1960 Rome medal winners of the 200 meters:  Livio Berruti (Italy) 20.5, Lester Carney (USA) 20.6 and Abdul Seye (France) 20.7

Berruti was also famous for his black sunglasses and white socks… Tommie Smith would also make the black sunglasses “part of his uniform”.

He ran 20.5 in the heats which equalled the World Record (ERW), followed by another 20.5 to win the Gold medal.  He came 4th in the 4x00m relay.

You can just imagine the home town crowd going nuts when he won.  This is Italy, you know.

Berruti also made two more Olympic appearances, in 1964 and 1968. On both occasions, he reached the final of the 4 x 100 m relay, and also placed 5th in the 200m final of 1964.

See also  Interview with Carl Valle, USATF Level 2 Sprints & Hurdles Coach

But his pinnacle will always be the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Wilma Rudolph con Livio Berruti!

Another juicy tidbit of gossip that emerged from Rome was this picture on the left.

Livio Berruti and Wilma Rudolf?  It is well known that Mohamed Ali (then Cassius Clay) tried to flirt with the great Wilma Rudolf. 

After all, you have to let go some of that excess energy after 11 months of hard training?

But you have to give credit to Italian men…

If you want to read more about the 1960 Rome Olympics, then read David Maraniss’ book: Rome 1960: The Summer Olympics That Stirred the World

Category iconBook Reviews,  Olympic History,  Track & Field Tag icon200 meters,  Livio Berruti,  Michael Johnson,  Olympics,  relay,  Rome 1960,  speed,  Usain Bolt

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. octopusmagnificens says

    October 11, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    Mennea also competed in Seoul 1988. Five Olympics Games.

    Reply
  2. Jimson Lee says

    October 13, 2009 at 1:08 am

    @octopusmagnificens – Thanks for the correction!

    Here`s a great high quality video of his last Olympics in Seoul (lane 2)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-MPmDsW8H0

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbs-aWxyLk

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (6)
  • Jimson Lee (4)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • Jim Hiserman - Developing 800m Runners: Identifying, Categorizing and Developing 400m-800m Type Athletes $42.99 $39.99
  • Private Coaching - Monthly Plan $600.00 $525.00
  • Jim Hiserman-Developing-Distance-Runnersv2 Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99

RECENT POSTS

  • Oregon22 Coaches Club now Online
  • IFAC 2022: The Return of In-Person Conferences (with Virtual option)
  • Here is our 400m Discussion Recording… over 2 Hours Long
  • The Best Free Coaching Book – post Beijing 2022 Olympics
  • The Ultimate 400m Track Webinar for Coaches & Athletes
  • NACAC Athletics Coaching Science Series 2022
  • Top Six 400m Predictor Workouts (Number 4 is my Favourite)
  • Best 6 Podcasts for 2021 (and Beyond)
  • Why Karsten Warholm’s 45.94 400mH WR is my Highlight of 2021
  • Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 23]

Copyright © 2023. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}