Norma Grezio De Filippis: Italy’s Rising Sprint Sensation

Born on March 30, 2008, Norma Grezio De Filippis represents the next generation of Italian sprinting talent. At just 17 years old, this dynamic young athlete from Rome has already established herself as one of the most promising sprint prospects in Italian athletics, combining raw speed with technical proficiency across the 100 and 200 meters.

Early Years and Athletic Beginnings

Grezio De Filippis’s journey into track and field began in the historic region of Lazio, where she first laced up her spikes with ASD Atletica Viterbo in 2020. Her early days in the sport showed glimpses of the talent that would later flourish, as she competed initially in the Ragazzi (Youth) category. Those formative years in Viterbo provided the foundation for what would become a rapid ascent through Italy’s youth athletics ranks.

By 2022, the young sprinter had transferred to Atletica Villa Gordiani-G.Castello, marking the beginning of a period of significant development. It was during this time that she began to demonstrate the speed and competitive spirit that would define her career. Her progression through the Cadetti (Cadet) ranks showed steady improvement, with her times dropping consistently as she refined her technique and built the strength necessary for elite-level sprinting.

Finding a Home at ACSI Italia Atletica

In 2023, Grezio De Filippis made what would prove to be a pivotal move to A.S.D. ACSI Italia Atletica, one of Rome’s most prestigious track clubs. Founded in 2012 from the merger of Audacia Record Atletica and ACSI Campidoglio Palatino, ACSI Italia Atletica brought together two clubs with rich histories in Italian women’s athletics. The organization’s DNA emphasized both competitive excellence and youth development—a perfect environment for a talented young sprinter looking to make her mark.

Under the club’s guidance, Grezio De Filippis flourished. The Rome-based organization, located on Via Ostiense, provided not just world-class coaching but also a supportive team environment. She became part of a successful relay program that would achieve notable success at the national level, running alongside teammates like Micol Candidi, Vanessa Riosa, and Anastasia Ciervo.

Breakthrough in the Cadetti Division

The 2023 season marked Grezio De Filippis’s emergence as a force in Italian youth athletics. Competing in the Cadetti (Under-16) category, she dominated the 80-meter hurdles, consistently posting times under 10.20 seconds. Her best mark of 10.13 seconds, achieved in Rome with a headwind of -1.1 m/s, showcased both her speed and technical ability over the barriers.

But it was in the flat sprints where her true potential began to reveal itself. In the 150 meters, she clocked an impressive 18.65 seconds in Tivoli, and in the 300 meters, she ran 42.13 seconds in Rome. These performances demonstrated her versatility and endurance across sprint distances. She also showed promise in the horizontal jumps, with a long jump best of 4.92 meters and a triple jump mark of 11.04 meters.

The indoor season proved equally productive, as she ran 7.91 seconds in the 60 meters at Ancona’s Palaindoor facility, establishing herself as one of the fastest young sprinters in central Italy.

Transition to the Allieve Category

Moving up to the Allieve (Under-18) division in 2024 brought new challenges and even greater achievements. Grezio De Filippis made an immediate impact, focusing her efforts on the 100 and 200 meters—the distances where her natural speed could shine brightest.

In the 100 meters, she consistently ran in the 12.20-second range, with her best wind-legal time of 12.22 seconds (+0.3 m/s) coming at Colleferro in April 2025. These performances placed her among Italy’s top junior sprinters and earned her respect from coaches and competitors alike. Her improvement was methodical and consistent, each race building on the lessons learned from the previous one.

The 200 meters, however, became her signature event. In September 2024, she ran 25.04 seconds (+0.7 m/s) in Sulmona at the finals of the Campionati di Società (Team Championships), helping lead her club to success. Throughout the 2024 outdoor season, she regularly broke the 25.50-second barrier, demonstrating the kind of consistency that separates good athletes from great ones.

Indoor Excellence and Relay Success

The indoor season has proven to be a particularly fruitful arena for Grezio De Filippis. At Ancona’s Palaindoor, she has become a regular presence on the starting line, using the winter months to sharpen her speed and technique. In January 2025, she clocked a personal best of 7.84 seconds in the 60 meters, showing continued development in her acceleration and top-end speed.

Her indoor 200-meter performances have been equally impressive. Running on the tight bends of the 200-meter indoor track, she recorded a best of 24.95 seconds in January 2025 at Ancona, demonstrating her ability to maintain speed through the turns—a crucial skill for any accomplished sprinter.

Perhaps her most memorable achievement came in relay competition. In February 2025, Grezio De Filippis anchored the ACSI Italia Atletica 4×200 meter relay team that shattered a club record that had stood since 2018. The quartet of Candidi, Riosa, Ciervo, and Grezio De Filippis ran 1:43.31 at the Palaindoor Ancona, breaking the previous mark of 1:43.47 and securing their place in the club’s record books. This achievement highlighted not just her individual speed but her ability to perform under pressure in team competitions.

Outdoor Season 2025: Reaching New Heights

The 2025 outdoor season has seen Grezio De Filippis continue her upward trajectory. At Rieti in June, she ran a wind-legal 24.50 seconds (+0.8 m/s) in the 200 meters—a personal best that represents a significant breakthrough. This performance placed her among the elite junior sprinters in Italy and demonstrated the effectiveness of her winter training.

At Bressanone in May 2024, she had already shown her potential on the national stage, competing at the Raiffeisen Arena where she helped the ACSI Italia Atletica 4×100 meter relay to a time of 46.98 seconds. These experiences at major venues and championships have provided invaluable exposure to high-level competition.

Competitive Style and Technical Development

Those who have watched Grezio De Filippis compete describe a runner with smooth, efficient mechanics and a powerful finish. Her starts have improved dramatically over the past two seasons, allowing her to get into her running faster and establish position early in races. Her ability to maintain her form late in the 200 meters—when many young sprinters begin to tie up—speaks to both her physical conditioning and mental toughness.

What sets her apart is not just her speed but her competitive intelligence. She races tactically, understanding when to push and when to conserve energy, particularly in relay legs where positioning can make the difference between victory and defeat. Her performances in championship finals have shown a maturity beyond her years, as she has consistently delivered her best performances when they matter most.

Training and Development

Under the guidance of the coaching staff at ACSI Italia Atletica, Grezio De Filippis follows a comprehensive training program that balances speed work, strength training, and technical refinement. The club’s facilities in Rome provide access to quality training venues, while regular competitions at tracks throughout Lazio—including Rieti, Latina, Colleferro, and Rome’s various athletic facilities—have allowed her to gain extensive racing experience.

Her training regimen emphasizes not just the 100 and 200 meters but also includes work on the 60 meters indoors and various relay disciplines. This versatility has made her a valuable team member and has contributed to her overall development as a sprinter.

Current Standing and Rankings

As of early 2026, Grezio De Filippis holds a World Athletics ranking of #1512 in the women’s 200 meters globally. While this ranking will undoubtedly improve as she continues to compete and lower her times, it already places her among the tracked athletes on the international stage. Her athlete code with World Athletics is 15058919, marking her official entry into the global athletics community.

Her recent personal bests paint a picture of an athlete approaching peak form in the Allieve category:

• 60 meters (indoor): 7.84 seconds (Ancona, January 2025)
• 100 meters: 12.22 seconds (+0.3 m/s) (Colleferro, April 2025)
• 200 meters: 24.50 seconds (+0.8 m/s) (Rieti, June 2025)
• 200 meters (indoor): 24.95 seconds (Ancona, January 2025)

Looking Ahead: International Aspirations

At 17 years old, Grezio De Filippis stands at the threshold of potentially representing Italy on the international stage. With one more year remaining in the Under-18 category before moving up to the Under-20 division, she has the opportunity to compete at major youth championships. Her progression suggests that times in the low-24-second range for the 200 meters and the low-12-second range for the 100 meters are well within reach—marks that would make her competitive at European and World Youth Championships.

The Italian athletics federation has historically produced world-class sprinters, from Pietro Mennea to the current generation led by Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs. While comparisons are premature, Grezio De Filippis is developing within a system that understands what it takes to reach the highest levels of the sport. Her club’s emphasis on technical excellence, combined with her natural talent and work ethic, provides a foundation for continued success.

The Road Ahead

For Norma Grezio De Filippis, the journey is just beginning. Each season brings new challenges, tougher competition, and higher expectations. But for a young athlete who has consistently met every challenge placed before her, the future looks bright. Whether she’s exploding out of the blocks in the 100 meters, powering around the curve in the 200, or anchoring her relay team to victory, she brings an intensity and focus that belies her age.

The venues where she competes—from the Palaindoor in Ancona to the storied tracks of Rieti and Rome—have witnessed her growth from promising youth athlete to legitimate national-level competitor. As she continues to drop her times and gain experience, those same tracks may well see the emergence of Italy’s next great sprint champion.

In a sport where success is measured in hundredths of a second and where the margin between good and great is razor-thin, Norma Grezio De Filippis has shown that she possesses the tools to excel. With continued development, smart training, and the support of her club and coaches, she has the potential to not just compete at the highest levels of Italian athletics but to make her mark on the European and world stages.

For now, she remains focused on the present—training hard, competing smart, and improving with each race. But for those watching Italian athletics closely, the name Norma Grezio De Filippis is one to remember. In the coming years, it may well be one that resonates far beyond the borders of Italy, carried on the wind of stadiums from Rome to Paris, from European championships to Olympic tracks.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For Norma Grezio De Filippis, that journey began on the tracks of Viterbo, continued through Rome, and now leads toward horizons limited only by her determination and talent. In the world of sprinting, where champions are forged through dedication and defined by their performances when the pressure is highest, she has already shown she belongs. The question now is not whether she will succeed, but how high she will rise.