Nadia Battocletti ends the year on a high note
Nadia Battocletti in triumph
È always a party for Nadia Battocletti, even on the’last day of the’year. The Italian star triumphs for the second time in a row at BOclassic Alto Adige, the traditional New Year’s Eve race on the streets of Bolzano now in its 50th edition, with another show of class. Toast again to the queen of middle distance running, cheered by the crowd in the city center, and ending her magnificent 2024 in the best possible way. If from the victory twelve months ago she had taken the momentum for a formidable season, now è a confirmation after the joys of the Olympic silver in the 10,000 and the’exhilarating series of European titles between track and cross.
Open applause for the Trentino-born member of the Fiamme Azzurre who runs with confidence, in the lead from the start pulling the group, before changing pace in a sprint with a time of 15:31 in the 5 kilometers, detaching Ethiopian Aleshign Baweke, the under-20 rainbow in the 3,000 meters, behind her in 15:35. More distant is Turkey’s Yasemin Can, bronze medalist at the recent European XC Championships dominated by ‘StraordiNadia’, third with 16:05 tailed by Federica Del Buono (Carabinieri) who takes fourth place in 16:07 ahead of Micol Majori (Pro Sesto Atl. Cernusco, 16:11), Elisa Palmero (Esercito, 16:12) and Valentina Gemetto (Dk Runners Milano, 16:18).
Among men, Yeman Crippa placed second for the third consecutive year. The’azzurro tries, fights to the finish line and closes in 28:01 in the 10 kilometers behind the’Ethiopian Telahun Haile Bekele, author of the race record in 27:59 improving the 28:00 set twelve months ago by Kenyan Sabastian Sawe.
È pugnacious the Gold Flames bearer, in the wake of the enthusiasm for the continental cross-country silver medal, and goes into the lead after five of the eight laps. Then Bekele’s decisive attack in the penultimate lap, with the European half-marathon champion also losing a few meters to Kenyan Charles Rotich. But the man from Trentino reacted in the final, regained second place, got closer and made up ground although not enough to win. On the third step of the podium Rotich in 28:08, fourth the South African Maxime Chaumeton (28:27) to precede the Ugandan Oscar Chelimo (Atl. Casone Noceto, 28:43). In the top ten was European half marathon silver medalist Pietro Riva (Fiamme Oro), eighth with 28:51, and Italian champion Francesco Guerra (Carabinieri), tenth in 29:13.
