Carmelo Rado

Carmelo Rado was an Italian discus thrower. In the 1950s Italian discus throwing was dominated by Adolfo Consolini, the 1948 London Olympic Champion, and a 15-time Italian Champion. Rado had difficulty winning national titles because of his presence but did defeat Consolini in 1959 at Bolzano.

After Rado placed seventh at the 1960 Roma Olympics, his fortunes improved when Consolini retired in 1961. Rado won his only national title that year in Torino. He was eighth at the 1962 European Championships. Internationally, he earned 21 caps.

Rado lived for 10 years in South Africa, where he worked in a woolen mill and trained only twice a week: but at the age of 36, in Standerton on 1 December 1969, he achieved his personal best (58.45). In those years he met a boy of Italian parents who played rugby and showed great speed. That was Marcello Fiasconaro who later broke the 800 metre world record.

Personal Best: DT – 58.45 (1969).