Golden Gala is an annual track and field event normally held at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the Diamond League. Following the 2013 death of Italian sprinting legend Pietro Mennea, the organizers added his name to the title of the meet.
The 2021 and 2023 events were temporarily relocated to Florence.
History Primo Nebiolo, the Italian president of IAAF since 1981, was the founder of the Golden Gala and had the idea to bring the athletes and the people from the United States and the NATO countries together after their boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980 as a result of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Nebiolo died of a heart attack at age 76 in 1999.
At the 2009 edition of the Golden Gala, Kenenisa Bekele, Kerron Stewart, Sanya Richards and Yelena Isinbayeva all remained on target for the 2009 Golden League jackpot.Powell, David (2009-07-10). Bekele – ‘I’m dreaming about this jackpot’ – ÅF Golden League. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-07-23. In the 100 m, Tyson Gay equalled his American record and Daniel Bailey set an Antiguan record in the men's race. Antonietta Di Martino brought the sole Italian victory in Rome by beating off favourite Blanka Vlašić in the high jump.
Editions In 1981 the IAAF World Cup was held in Rome, so no Golden Gala meeting was organized.
+Golden Gala editions Meeting Series Date 1980 Golden Gala 5 Aug 1980 1982 Golden Gala 14 Sep 1982 1983 Golden Gala 1 Sep 1983 1984 Golden Gala 31 Aug 1984 1985 Golden Gala 1985 IAAF Grand Prix 9 Jul 1985 1986 Golden Gala 1986 IAAF Grand Prix 10 Sep 1986 1987 Golden Gala 1987 IAAF Grand Prix 22 Jul 1987 1988 Golden Gala 1988 IAAF Grand Prix 27 Jul 1988 1989 Golden Gala 1989 IAAF Grand Prix 19 Jul 1989 1990 Golden Gala 1990 IAAF Grand Prix 18 Jul 1990 1991 Golden Gala 1991 IAAF Grand Prix 17 Jul 1991 1992 Golden Gala 1992 IAAF Grand Prix 9 Jun 1992 1993 Golden Gala 1993 IAAF Grand Prix 9 Jun 1993 1994 Golden Gala 1994 IAAF Grand Prix 8 Jun 1994 1995 Golden Gala 1995 IAAF Grand Prix 8 Jun 1995 1996 Golden Gala 1996 IAAF Grand Prix 5 Jun 1996 1997 Golden Gala 1997 IAAF Grand Prix 5 Jun 1997 1998 Golden Gala 1998 IAAF Golden League 14 Jul 1998 1999 Golden Gala 1999 IAAF Golden League 7 Jul 1999 2000 Golden Gala 2000 IAAF Golden League 30 Jun 2000 2001 Golden Gala 2001 IAAF Golden League 29 Jun 2001 2002 Golden Gala 2002 IAAF Golden League 12 Jul 2002 2003 Golden Gala 2003 IAAF Golden League 11 Jul 2003 2004 Golden Gala 2004 IAAF Golden League 2 Jul 2004 2005 Golden Gala 2005 IAAF Golden League 8 Jul 2005 2006 Golden Gala 2006 IAAF Golden League 14 Jul 2006 2007 Golden Gala 2007 IAAF Golden League 13 Jul 2007 2008 Golden Gala 2008 IAAF Golden League 11 Jul 2008 2009 Golden Gala 2009 IAAF Golden League 10 Jul 2009 2010 Golden Gala 2010 Diamond League 10 Jun 2010 2011 Golden Gala 2011 Diamond League 26 May 2011 2012 Golden Gala 2012 Diamond League 31 May 2012 2013 Golden Gala 2013 Diamond League 6 Jun 2013 2014 Golden Gala 2014 Diamond League 5 Jun 2014 2015 Golden Gala 2015 Diamond League 4 Jun 2015 2016 Golden Gala 2016 Diamond League 2 Jun 2016 2017 Golden Gala 2017 Diamond League 8 Jun 2017 2018 Golden Gala 2018 Diamond League 31 May 2018 2019 Golden Gala 2019 Diamond League 6 Jun 2019 2020 Golden Gala 2020 Diamond League 17 Sep 2020 2021 Golden Gala 2021 Diamond League 10 Jun 2021 2022 Golden Gala 2022 Diamond League 9 Jun 2022 2023 Golden Gala 2023 Diamond League 2 Jun 2023 2024 Golden Gala 2024 Diamond League 30 Aug 2024 2025 Golden Gala 2025 Diamond League 6 Jun 2025 2026 Golden Gala 2026 Diamond League 4 Jun 2026
World records Over the course of its history, ten world records have been set at the Gala. The 1500 metres and Mile records by Hicham El Guerrouj still stand. In 2014 Joanne Pavey's 15:04.87 in the 5000 metres bettered the existing masters world record in the W40 division by almost 16 seconds. +World records set at the Golden Gala Year Event Record Athlete Nationality1983Pole vault5.83 m1984Pole vault5.94 m 5.91 m 198712:58.39199512:55.3019983:26.0019993:43.132000Javelin throw68.22 m2008Pole vault5.03 m20233:49.11
Meeting records
Men
+Men's meeting records of the Golden Gala Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet 100 m9.75 Justin Gatlin4 June 20152015200 m19.70 Michael Norman 6 June 20192019400 m43.62Jeremy Wariner14 July 20062006800 m1:42.79Wilson Kipketer7 July 199919991500 m3:26.00 Hicham El Guerrouj14 July 19981998Mile3:43.13 Hicham El Guerrouj7 July 199919992000 m4:54.02Vénuste Niyongabo8 June 199519953000 m7:26.64Jacob Kiplimo17 September 202020205000 m12:46.33Nicholas Kimeli9 June 2022202210,000 m28:59.82Mark Donahue10 September 19861986110 m hurdles12.98 Trey Cunningham4 June 20262026400 m hurdles47.07Karsten Warholm17 September 202020203000 m steeplechase7:54.31Paul Kipsiele Koech31 May 20122012High jump2.41 mMutaz Essa Barshim5 June 20142014Pole vault6.15 mArmand Duplantis17 September 20202020Long jump8.61 m Dwight Phillips10 July 20092009Triple jump17.96 m Pedro Pichardo4 June 20152015Shot put22.49 mRyan Crouser30 August 20242024Discus throw70.72 mKristjan Ceh9 June 20222022Hammer throw84.88 mSergey Litvinov10 September 19861986Javelin throw92.62 mRumesh Tharanga4 June 202620263000 m (walk)10:57.77Francesco Fortunato9 June 202220224 × 100 m relay38.31Santa Monica Track Club:Michael MarshLeroy BurrellFloyd HeardCarl Lewis8 June 199419944 × 400 m relay3:01.76 Nigel LevineConrad WilliamsChris ClarkeJack Green31 May 20122012
Women
+Women's meeting records of the Golden Gala Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet 100 m10.75 Marion Jones14 July 1998199810.75 Kerron Stewart10 July 20092009200 m21.91 Shericka Jackson9 June 20222022400 m49.17Marita Koch10 September 19861986800 m1:55.69Pamela Jelimo11 July 200820081500 m3:49.11Faith Kipyegon2 June 20232023Mile4:21.38Paula Ivan19 July 198919893000 m8:23.96Olga Yegorova29 June 200120015000 m14:03.69Beatrice Chebet6 June 20252025100 m hurdles12.24 Ackera Nugent30 August 20242024400 m hurdles52.43Femke Bol2 June 202320233000 m steeplechase8:44.39Winfred Yavi30 August 20242024High jump2.03 mYelena Slesarenko2 July 20042004Hestrie Cloete2 July 20042004Blanka Vlašić10 June 20102010Chaunté Howard-Lowe10 June 20102010Pole vault5.03 mYelena Isinbayeva13 July 20072007Long jump7.23 m Marion Jones14 July 19981998Triple jump15.29 m Yamilé Aldama11 July 20032003Shot put21.03 mValerie Adams31 May 20122012Discus throw69.21 mValarie Allman6 June 20252025Javelin throw68.66 mBarbora Špotáková10 June 201020104 × 100 m relay43.64Nataliya StrohovaYelizaveta BryzginaOlesya PovhNatalia Pohrebniak2 June 20162016
See also Notturna di Milano Rieti Meeting Memorial Primo Nebiolo
References
External links Diamond League – Rome Official Web Site Golden Gala Meeting Records