Nadia Battocletti breaks new record

Another resounding race by Nadia Battocletti: she put on a show in the indoor 3,000 in Liévin with the formidable time of 8:26.44 with which she managed to improve by more than four seconds her 8:30.82 from last year also obtained in the French meeting. The queen of middle distance running, literally unleashed, came close to the continental limit: she did so by stopping the stopwatch just three hundredths short of the time of Britain’s Laura Muir, who has held it with 8:26.41 since 2017, and also came very close to her own national outdoor record of 8:26.27 set in Rabat, Morocco, last season.

So she continues to outdo herself, the Trentino-born star of the Fiamme Azzurre, world and Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000 as well as world bronze medalist in the 5,000, European champion in track, cross-country and road. After equaling the Italian indoor 1,500 record with 4:03.59 in Madrid in her debut a couple of weeks ago, comes the daughter of art’s new feat: she is third at the finish line behind Ethiopians Freweyni Hailu, who gains a few meters of advantage in the middle of the race to impose herself in 8:24.59, and Aleshign Baweke, 8:26.29 in the sprint at the end of the duel with the Italian in the last two laps for second place.

The athlete coached by her dad-coach Giuliano transited in 2:49.02 at the 1000 and 4:13.30 at the 1500 with a very similar second part in 4:13.14, then 5:37.62 at the 2000 meters. Excellent signal toward the World Indoor Championships scheduled in a month’s time in Poland, in Torun from March 20 to 22, but the Trentino’s next commitment will be already Sunday morning at the Cross Festival in Selinunte, Sicily.

Aldo Seghedoni

“The goal was to reach the standard for the World Championships in Torun, set at 8:35.00, and to be comfortable in the indoor track. The European record could have been a goal but I have to learn how to run indoors. This chrono is worth so much because Ramadan started yesterday and I finished my university exams a week ago. It has been a difficult time but I have a great staff to help me,” he said…

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