Farewell to Livio Berruti, legend of the 60 Rome Olympics.

Livio Berruti, a Turin-born athlete who made Italian and world sporting history with his victory in the 200 meters at the 1960 Rome Olympics, has died at the age of 87 after a brief illness. His feat, dated September 3, 1960, was remembered for his world record time of 20 seconds and the iconic image of a slender young man, wearing dark glasses and white socks, striding across the track like a modern-day Mercury.

That triumph marked a pivotal moment for postwar Italy, representing a symbol of rebirth and hope in an era marked by the economic miracle. Berruti won a historic race, which also featured protagonists such as Cassius Clay (the future Muhammad Ali) and Abebe Bikila, the Ethiopian runner famous for his barefoot marathon.

Berruti's sporting career was also linked to the Fiamme Oro team, which earned him the nickname "the fastest policeman in the world," and after retiring he worked for Fiat. In addition to his Olympic victory, he fondly remembered his success at the 1961 Military World Championships in Brussels, where an elderly fan gave him a tearful hug.

Berruti was also the protagonist of curious episodes linked to the Cold War, such as his encounter with a communist partisan on the flight to Moscow and his secret relationship with a Russian girl, hindered by the rigid restrictions of the time.

His image also remains linked to that of Wilma Rudolph, the American sprinter who defeated polio and who formed an intense and symbolic friendship with Berruti during the Rome Olympics.

Livio Berruti leaves behind a sporting and historical legacy that has helped exalt not only Italy, but the entire world, with his elegance and speed on the track.