When Gianmarco Tamberi steps onto the track at Stadio Olimpico this Friday for the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, it will be more than just another competition for the flamboyant Italian high jump icon.
It marks the beginning of a bold new chapter in a career many expected would end after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Tamberi, the reigning Olympic champion and three-time Diamond League winner, planned to retire this year after giving his all mentally and physically.
At the Diamond League press conference, the charismatic Italian admitted he felt uncertain after Paris.
“I think I have never done a year as I have done in 2024 in terms of mental, physical, and body preparation,” Tamberi shared.
“After Paris, it was a very big thing to go over it. I was pretty confident to stop, but so many people kept stopping me in the street saying, ‘Please don’t stop.’ I was very confused.”
The decision weighed heavily on Tamberi, known for his showmanship and emotional performances. He didn’t want to continue merely to satisfy public sentiment but needed to reconnect with his own ambitions. That spark came unexpectedly.
“When the new surprise came, I understood what was my path,” he revealed.
“I didn’t just want to go for one year. I decided to keep longer, to put the bar higher, and chase this big dream of Los Angeles 2028.”
Tamberi acknowledged the risk of a four-year journey with a body bearing scars from over a decade of competition.
“I’ve been pushing since 2013 with no stop. I needed time for my mind, but especially for my body,” Tamberi admitted.
He spent seven months rehabbing his knee with his team’s support.
“I’m very proud of the work we’ve done. And proud of the choice not to rush back just for medals, but to have the courage to think about four years later.”
This week’s Golden Gala will see Tamberi chasing one of the few honors missing from his glittering résumé, a win on home soil in Rome. It will be his seventh attempt at Golden Gala glory, and though he concedes he’s not yet at peak form, he’s relishing the opportunity to gauge his progress.
“I didn’t think I could compete at the Golden Gala this year, but I’m here. Of course, my shape isn’t the same as last year’s Europeans, but I’ll do my best. The most important thing is that I’m competing without pain, and that’s a big deal on the road to LA.”
Standing in his way will be formidable opponents. New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr, fresh from a victory in Rabat, and the Republic of Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok, the newly crowned Asian champion, promise to push Tamberi to his limits. But with the passionate Italian crowd behind him, Tamberi hopes to script another memorable night in Rome.
