Alfredo Gargiullo

Alfredo Gargiullo was a youth champion in Italy at age 16. He ran at the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 4x400 relay, helping Italy to finish sixth. He also ran the 400 but was eliminated in the quarter-finals. Gargiullo won the 400 metres at the 1924 Italian championships in Bologna and in 1927 again in the same city, after not having participated in 1925-26 because he competed abroad in France and the Netherlands. In 1927 he also won the 4×400 meters relay with Gruppo Sportivo Nafta Genova.

In 1927, with a personal best of 50.4, Gargiullo was invited to run the 440 yards at the English Championships, the most important athletic event in Europe before the birth of the European Championships. He finished second, yielding to the finish of Douglas Lowe, who won in 48.8, with Gargiullo five metres behind.

Gargiullo set two Italian national records in the 400m (49.0 in 1925 and 1927) and three in the 500 metres between 1924-27. He was expected to compete at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics but suffered an appendicitis attack. He underwent surgery on 7 March but died two days later from complications related to the disease and the surgery.

Personal Best: 400 – 49.0 (1927).