Roberto Frinolli

Born in the Garbatella district of Roma, Roberto Frinolli began in athletics as a schoolboy cross-country runner then branching out in other areas of running before settling as a 400 metre hurdler. Frinolli first wore the blue shirt of the Italian national team in 1961 and was a regular member of the Azzurri for more than a decade.

He first came to international prominence in 1963 when he achieved victories at both the Universiade and the Mediterranean Games and ended the year ranked in the world’s top 10 by Track & Field News. He continued his progress the following year and led the Olympic final until he faded into sixth place in the second half of the race. In 1965 and 1966 he became established as the top 400m hurdler in the world, a fact he consolidated with a repeat win at the Universiade and a dominant win at the 1966 European Championships in Hungary, If Frinolli was not quite in the same form in 1968 he was still considered a medal prospect for the 1968 Olympic Games and more so when he set a national record in the semi-final. In a repeat of the final in Tokyo, Frinolli once again blazed his way In the early stages of the race and disputed the lead with Dave Hemery. This time he slowed down even more dramatically and was passed by the entire field over the last two hurdles.

This effectively ended his career as a top line performer over the hurdles although he reappeared, with disappointing results, at one more Olympic Games before retirement. He became involved with the Italian national baseball team as fitness coach and later team manager before taking up the post of technical director of the men’s national track and field team from 2001-04 and was also the personal coach of Fabrizio Mori, 1999 world champion in the 400m hurdles. It was Mori who broke Frinolli’s national record after 23 years.

Frinolli’s great rival in the early 60s was 1964 Olympic bronze medal winner Salvatore Morale. The two became brothers-in-law when each married one of the Beneck sisters, the Italian swimming Olympians of the same era. Roberto married Daniela Beneck while Morale married Anna Beneck. Roberto and Daniela’s two sons also represented Italy. Bruno was a long jumper and Giorgio followed his father as a hurdler and competed in the Sydney Olympics.

Personal Bests: 400 – 47.6 (1966); 400H – 49.14 (1968).