Age, Biography and Wiki

Pietro Mennea (Pietro Paolo Mennea) was born on 28 June, 1952 in Barletta, Apulia, Italy, is an Italian sprinter and politician (1952–2013). Discover Pietro Mennea's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 61 years old?

Popular As Pietro Paolo Mennea
Occupation N/A
Age 61 years old
Zodiac Sign Cancer
Born 28 June, 1952
Birthday 28 June
Birthplace Barletta, Apulia, Italy
Date of death 2013
Died Place Rome, Italy
Nationality Ytaly

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 28 June. He is a member of famous Sprinter with the age 61 years old group.

Pietro Mennea Height, Weight & Measurements

At 61 years old, Pietro Mennea height is 1.80m and Weight 73 kg.

Physical Status
Height 1.80m
Weight 73 kg
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Pietro Mennea's Wife?

His wife is Manuela Oliveri (m. 1996–2013)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Manuela Oliveri (m. 1996–2013)
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Pietro Mennea Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Pietro Mennea worth at the age of 61 years old? Pietro Mennea’s income source is mostly from being a successful Sprinter. He is from Ytaly. We have estimated Pietro Mennea's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Sprinter

Pietro Mennea Social Network

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Timeline

1952

Pietro Paolo Mennea (28 June 1952 – 21 March 2013), nicknamed la Freccia del Sud ("the Arrow of the South"), was an Italian sprinter and politician.

1968

Mennea, who was born in Barletta, in the Italian region of Puglia, started his long international athletic career in 1968 when he took part in a junior race in Termoli and he was registered in AVIS Barletta club; in 1971, he won the first of his 14 Italian outdoor titles in the 100 and 200 m. He went on to win two indoor titles in 60 m and 400 m, along with five Mediterranean Games gold medals in 100 m and 200 m. He competed at the European Championships with a third place in the 4 × 100 m relay.

His time set a new world record, beating Tommie Smith's time of 19.83 set on the same track in the 1968 Summer Olympics.

1972

He is the only male sprinter who has qualified at four consecutive 200 metres Olympic finals: from 1972 to 1984.

He made his Olympic debut at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where he made the final of the 200 m, his strongest event.

He finished in third place, behind Valeri Borzov and Larry Black.

Three more consecutive Olympic 200 metre finals would follow later in his career, the longest run ever in this event.

1974

At the 1974 European Championships, Mennea claimed the 200 m gold in front of his home crowd in Rome, while also placing second behind Borzov in the 100 m and the 4 × 100 m. After some poor performances in the 1976 Olympic season, Mennea decided to skip the Olympics, but when the Italian public protested Mennea went to Montreal.

He finished fourth in the 200 m and sixth in the 4 × 100 m relay.

1977

In 1977, he finished second in the world cup 200, where a photo finish separated him from Clancy Edwards of the United States.

1978

He successfully defended his European 200 m title in 1978 but displayed his capabilities in the 100 metres by also winning that event in Prague.

1979

In 1979, Mennea placed first in the 100 metres and second in the 200 m behind Allan Wells of Great Britain in the European Cup.

Later in the year, aged 27, he took part in the World University Games, which were held on the high-altitude track of Mexico City.

On 12 September 1979, he won the 200 metres with a time of 19.72.

1980

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 also held the low-altitude world record, 19.96, from 1980 to 1983, set in his home town of Barletta.

On 17 August 1980, Mennea became the first sprinter to run under 20 seconds for the 200 metres three times.

Entering the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Mennea was a clear favourite for the Olympic gold, in part because of the United States boycott of the Moscow Olympics.

In the 200 metre final, Mennea faced reigning champion Don Quarrie and 100 metre champion Allan Wells.

Mennea drew the outer most lane with Wells in lane 7 to his inside.

Wells got out to a blistering fast start and closed on Mennea within the first 50 m. They approached the straight with Wells more than a two-metre lead on Mennea with Quarrie in second and Silvio Leonard, hampered by his lane 1 draw, in fourth.

However, in the straight Mennea gained ground and passed Quarrie and Leonard and at the very end of the race, just beating Wells, winning the gold by a mere 0.02 seconds.

Later in the games, he was the anchor man on the Italian bronze medal winning 4 × 400 relay team.

He also competed in the 100 metres, reaching the semi-finals.

1983

In 1983, in Cassino, he clocked a manual 14.8 seconds in 150 metres, a world best time that he held until it was bettered by Usain Bolt in Manchester in 2009.

Mennea, known in Italy as the la Freccia del Sud ("the Arrow of the South"), then announced his retirement, allowing himself more time for his studies.

However, he came back from retirement soon and won a bronze medal in the 200 m at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki.

A year later, he competed in his fourth consecutive Olympic 200 m final, becoming the first person to do so.

The defending champion finished in seventh, and retired from athletics for a second time afterwards.

Again, Mennea made a comeback, and competed in his fifth Olympics in Seoul, where he was the flag bearer: he qualified for the quarterfinals of the 200 m, but he decided to withdraw from the competition and did not take part into the next round.

Mennea admitted that he had used human growth hormone once during the last year of his career.

1987

In an interview to an Italian newspaper in 1987 he told that in 1984, during the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, an American physiotherapist proposed a doping treatment to him.

Back in Italy he tried two injections of human growth hormone but the crisis of conscience he got was so important that it induced him to retire from activity: "I realized that in my life I was looking for everything, except for that."

Although the usage of the substance is banned in modern-day competition, it was not banned at the time by the IAAF.

After his athletic career, Mennea worked as a lawyer and a sports agent.

1996

The record held for almost seventeen years before Michael Johnson broke it at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials.

1999

He was a member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004 elected on the list of The Democrats, but failed in his attempt to be re-elected.

2020

As of November 2020, only seventeen athletes have recorded a better time over 200 metres than Mennea.

His time stands as the current European record.