Filippo Tortu


Filippo Tortu is an Italian sprinter, national record holder of 100 meters with the time of 9.99 and the first ever Italian to dip below 10 seconds for the distance. He won the gold medal in 100 metres at the 2017 European U20 Championships and the silver medal at the 2016 World U20 Championships. He is coached by his father, Salvino Tortu, a former Sardinian sprinter who emigrated to Lombardy. His older brother, Giacomo, is also a sprinter.

Biography

Born in Milan but with Sardinian origins, he began to play sports at the age of eight years, dividing his time between track and field and basketball.
In 2010 and 2011 he won the title of fastest runner in Milan while competing in the categories prima media and seconda media. He then started to dedicate himself entirely to track and field, coached by his father. In 2013 he won the 80 meters in the Italian championships in Jesolo with a time of 9.09.
He finished third at the 2014 trials for the European Youth Olympic Games although he did not qualify. He did however qualify for the 200 meters, but in the preliminary race for the Youth Olympics he fell at the finish line; he broke both arms and as a result was not able to compete in the finals. In 2015 he broke the Italian youth record in the 100 meters with a time of 10.33, as well as in the 200 meters with a time of 20.92.
In 2016 he broke the Italian junior record of 100 meters in Savona, twice obtaining a time of 10.24; this record had been unbeaten for 34 years, and was held by Pierfrancesco Pavoni who ran the distance in 10.25 at the 1982 European Championships. A month later, he landed his first Italian title in Rieti, winning the final of 100 meters in 10.32. He took part in the European Championships in Amsterdam, where he qualified for the semifinals by winning with a time of 10.19, which was a new Italian junior record. He failed, however, to reach the final by 0.03 seconds. He also ran the final leg of 4×100 relay, landing a 5th place. He participated at the World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, where he won the silver medal in 100 meters with 10.24, behind the American Noah Lyles. In the same championship he participated in the 4×100 relay where they finished 7th.

National records

Personal bests

;Outdoor
;Indoor