Luigi Beccali

Luigi Beccali ( born November 19, 1907 in Milan, † 29 August 1990 in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States) was an Italian middle distance runner and Olympic champion.

Career

As a teenager Beccali was fascinated by cycling and athletics, specializing in the latter only after he got Dino Nai as a coach. From 1928 to 1931, he was four times in a row by Italian masters over 1500 meters. At the Olympic Games 1932 in Los Angeles, he won the gold medal in the 1500 meter race, before the British Jerry Cornes ( silver) and the Canadian Phil Edwards ( bronze). At the award ceremony he was the first athlete who returned the honor with the fascist salute.

In 1933 he presented a world record by Jules Ladoumègue and improved it then 3:49,0 minutes. Towards the end of the year he also set up a new world record over 1,000 yards with 2:10,0 minutes. In 1934 he won the gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Turin. But he could this success at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin not repeat, but only reached the bronze medal, behind the New Zealander Jack Lovelock ( gold ) and the American Glenn Cunningham (Silver).

At the European Championships in 1938, he was also third, this time behind the British Sydney Wooderson (Gold ) and the Belgian Joseph Mostert (silver). To this end, he won the Italian Championship over 1500 meters in the years 1934-1938 and in the 5000 -meter run in 1935.

After his athletic career Becalli emigrated occupational reasons in the United States of America, where he lived until his death in 1990.

Luigi Beccali died on 29 August 1990 in Daytona Beach, Florida.