Eddy Ottoz

Italian hurdler Eddy Ottoz dominated the European scene and was often the only one to challenge the overwhelmingly superior American hurdlers. Italy’s best junior of his day, Ottoz started hurdling in 1964, ranking third behind seniors Giovanni Cornacchia and Giorgio Mazza. He ran 13.9 in Berlin that year, the first of a long series of Italian records (19 in total) in the 110 metre hurdles.

At the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Ottoz placed fourth, leading home two other Italian hurdlers, Giovanni Cornacchia in seventh and Giorgio Mazza in eighth place, both in 14.1. Considered a top technician, in 1965, he lowered his personal best time to 13.6, defeating the silver medallist from Tokyo 1964, Blaine Lindgren, and then winning the Summer Universiade in Budapest, beating the world number one, American Willie Davenport.

In the following season Ottoz obtained the first of his three consecutive wins at the European Indoor Championships in the 60 metre and 50 metre hurdles; dominated the continental championship in Budapest in the summer (winning in 13.7 ahead of the German Hinrich John and the Frenchman Marcel Duriez); and ended the season undefeated, with the exception of a race where he crashed while in the lead ahead of Davenport.

In the winter of 1967, Ottoz set three personal best world indoor performances and went on tour in the United States. Outdoors he dropped his personal best to 13.5 and remained clearly the best hurdler in Europe. Ottoz then lost to Davenport during the Italy-USA-Spain match in Viareggio, as well as in the America vs. Europe dual meet at Montréal where Ottoz captured the bronze medal in 13.46 behind Americans Davenport (13.33) and Ervin Hall (13.42). It was 26 years before the Italian national high hurdles record was broken – by his son Laurent Ottoz who ran 13.42 in Berlin on 30 August 1994.

In his last competitive season in 1969, Ottoz trained less but stayed in good shape, managing to run 13.5 at the European Championships where he beat the 400 metre hurdles champion Dave Hemery of Britain. He retired with five Italian titles (1965-69) and remained involved with sports holding various roles as technician, manager, a politician, and member of the CONI Council from 2001-2012.

Personal Best: 110H – 13.46 (1968).