Italian sprinter Lorenzo Patta always dreamed of competing in front of a roaring home crowd at the Stadio Olimpio and he will may have that wish realised at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships on 7-12 June.
His original dream was nurtured as a fan of Serie A football team AS Roma. Then as a player for Sardinian club La Palma Monte Urpinu, the dream took a step closer. But the speedy winger then discovered athletics through student competitions in 2016 and a new pathway was set for the talented sportsman.
Olympic and world glory
As part of the Italian 4x100m team that won gold at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, he is no stranger to the big occasion. But he is particularly excited ahead of the European Athletics Championships, which holds a special incentive for him.
“Roma 2024 is gonna be emotional. I’m waiting for the AS Roma football players coming to support us at the Olympic Stadium. I'd like to see some of the football players follow us and get involved. It will be a great emotion to compete at home,” he says.
Competition for places
With Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs, European Indoor 60m champion Samuele Ceccarelli and European 200m bronze medallist Filippo Tortu all in the mix for a relay place, competition will be fierce to represent the home nation. But Patta is determined to be part of it.
“We are ten sprinters for four places? I'm not afraid of competition, it helps me to live better and to give my best during the training and in the races," says the athlete who has established a good reputation for his baton exchanges.
"How did that happen? There is no specific reason, I like the relay. I put myself out there and learn from my older teammates. I'm quite good at it.”
After the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, Patta is looking for Paris 2024 Olympic Games: “Even the gold we won in Tokyo was complicated, the same will be true in Paris. As defending champions, we will do everything we can to repeat our success.”
A big AS Roma fan he might be, but Patta has some big goals of his own this summer.