Stadio Raul Guidobaldi

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Stadio Raul Guidobaldi
Stadio Raul Guidobaldi, Rieti - 01.JPG
The main track and the Velino grandstand
Stadio Raul Guidobaldi
Full nameStadio Raul Guidobaldi
Location Rieti, Italy
Capacity 5,000
Construction
Built1960 [1]
Tenants
Rieti Meeting

Stadio Raul Guidobaldi is an athletics stadium located in Rieti, Italy. Every year since 1971 the stadium hosts the Rieti Meeting; it also hosted the 2013 European Athletics Junior Championships. [2]

Contents

Eight world records have been set in the stadium, [1] including the 9.74 record for the 100 metres by Asafa Powell in 2007. Steve Cram has called the stadium a Mecca for middle-distance runners. [3]

History

The Velino grandstand Stadio Raul Guidobaldi, Rieti - tribuna Velino 01.JPG
The Velino grandstand

The stadium was built as part of the construction program for the 1960 Summer Olympics and inaugurated on 23 July 1960. [1] In the 1980s a second grandstand and a marquee with an indoor track were built. In 1999 a roof was built for the main grandstand and the track was expanded to eight lanes. [1] In 2011-2012 all tracks were rebuilt in sportflex material and painted in blue by company Mondo.

Description

The stadium is located in south-west Rieti, near other sport facilities, and is bordered by the Velino river. The main track is made of sportflex and is 8 lane wide. Along each straight is a grandstand, with a total capacity of 5,000 spectators: [4] the main one, called "Velino", has a roof supported by large steel arches and also hosts the changing rooms and the press station; the smaller one is called "Terminillo" and is not covered.

The warming up area on the back Stadio Raul Guidobaldi, Rieti - pista riscaldamento 01.JPG
The warming up area on the back

Behind the main track is an area reserved to training and warming up, with a 250-metres-long 6-lane track, an area equipped for the long jump and javelin, and a marquee with an heated indoor track for winter trainings.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Christian Diociaiuti (2020-07-22). "Auguri stadio Guidobaldi: 60 anni di magia!". Comitato regionale Lazio FIDAL (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  2. http://www.european-athletics.org/general-news/european-junior-championships-given-to-tallinn-and-rieti.html [ dead link ]
  3. Steve Cram (11 September 2007). "Why is a small town in Italy such a mecca for world records?". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  4. "Stadio "R. Guidobaldi" – Rieti".

42°24′01″N12°51′02″E / 42.40028°N 12.85056°E / 42.40028; 12.85056