Italy have named a 32-athlete squad of proven championships quality for the 2025 World Athletics Relays, set to take place in Guangzhou, China, on May 10–11.
The event will serve as a key qualifier for the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships this September, with Italy competing across five relay disciplines: men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, mixed 4x400m, and for the first time on the international stage, the 4x100m mixed relay.
Among the standout names are Tokyo Olympic 4x100m champions Filippo Tortu, Lorenzo Patta, and Fausto Desalu. Also included are Roberto Rigali and Matteo Melluzzo, who were part of the victorious men’s 4x100m squad alongside Tortu and Patta at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships.
European medallists and new names
The men's 4x400m team will be bolstered by European silver medallists Vladimir Aceti and Riccardo Meli.
In the women’s lineup, European 4x100m bronze medallists Dalia Kaddari and Alessia Pavese return, alongside mixed 4x400m European silver medallists Alice Mangione and Anna Polinari. Edoardo Scotti, also a silver medallist in the mixed relay, adds strength to the men’s 4x400m squad.
Four athletes will make their senior national team debuts: Gaya Bertello, Alice Pagliarini, Francesco Domenico Rossi, and Clarissa Vianelli, signalling a promising new generation of talent.
With 14 qualification spots available per event for the World Athletics Championships and the remaining two to be decided by world rankings, Italy aims to secure its place early.
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics