Mario Lanzi

Mario Lanzi (10 October 1914 – 21 February 1980)^[1] was an Italian athlete in the 1930s who specialised in the 800 metres and also competed over 400 metres.

Mario Lanzi

Lanzi in 1936
Personal information
Nationality	Italian
Born	(1914-10-10)10 October 1914 Castelletto sopra Ticino, Italy
Died	21 February 1980(1980-02-21) (aged 65) Schio, Italy
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	76 kg (168 lb)
Sport
Country	Italy
Sport	Athletics
Event	Middle-distance running
Club	G. S. Baracca
Achievements and titles
Personal bests	400 m: 46.7 (1939) 800 m: 1:49.0 (1939)
Medal record Olympic Games 1936 Berlin 800 m

Biography

Lanzi was born at Castelletto sopra Ticino, in the province of Novara (Piedmont).

He won the silver medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin over 800 m, finishing behind John Woodruff. In his native Italy Lanzi was without any serious rival. However, Lanzi lost the 800 m final at the 1938 European Championships in Athletics to Rudolf Harbig. Lanzi was famous for confusing his opponents by starting 800 m races like a sprinter.^{[citation needed]}

Lanzi died at Schio (Veneto), where he had worked as coach, in 1980.

National titles

Lanzi won 13 individual Italian national championship titles,^[2] 5 at 400 metres and 8 at 800 metres.

• 400 metres: 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943
• 800 metres: 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1946