ROME — Former Italian sprinter Pietro Mennea, who held the world record in the 200 meters for nearly 17 years, has died. He was 60. The Italian Olympic Committee made the announcement, saying Mennea died in a Rome clinic Thursday. No cause of death was given. Mennea won gold in the 200 and bronze in the 4x400 relay at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, plus a bronze in the 200 at the 1972 Munich Games. Mennea set the record of 19.72 seconds on Sept. 12, 1979, in Mexico City. The mark lasted until Michael Johnson ran 19.66 on June 23, 1996, at the US Olympic trials. IOC member Franco Carraro called Mennea “among the greatest of all time.” — AP
