Nadia Battocletti after European record aims for World Championships
New stunning feat by Nadia Battocletti. The Italian champion signs the European record in the 5-kilometer road race with a time of 14:32 in Tokyo. In the Japanese capital, which will host the World Championships in September, she lowers by seven seconds the record set this season by Dutchwoman Diane Van Es with 14:39 in Monaco, last Feb. 9.
It is yet another show of class for the Paris Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000 meters, a four-time queen of Europe in less than a year, fresh off a gold medal on the 10 km in Leuven after triumphs on the track, 5000 and 10,000 in Rome, and in the cross in Antalya. Beaten instead by 13 seconds her Italian record of 14:45 set in October 2023 in Riga. “This record means so much to me,” the words of Nadia Battocletti, who in Tokyo had placed seventh in the 5,000 at the 2021 Olympics. “It was a very fast race, I realized a dream here and I hope to achieve it at the next World Championships as well.”
On the completely flat course of the Meiji Jingu Gaien, the park in the vicinity of Tokyo’s National Stadium, the 25-year-old from the Italian Blue Flames finished in second place behind only Kenya’s Caroline Nyaga who won in 14:19, third was Maurine Jepkoech (Kenya, 14:40). Victory among men in the Tokyo Speed Race for Ugandan Harbert Kibet with 13:00 over the 5 kilometers. Winning the 10-kilometer race were Ethiopian Jemal Yimer (27:10) and in the women’s race Ugandan Joy Cheptoyek (30:22). For the outclasswoman from Trentino this time, in a mixed race with men and women starting together, there is an exceptional ‘pacer’: the Italian Iliass Aouani, European marathon champion in the continental event three weeks ago in Belgium. With this result, the athlete coached by her father-coach Giuliano can look with increasing confidence to the track season appointments: debut in the 3000 in Rabat (Morocco) on May 25 in the Diamond League, then 1500 in Rovereto on June 2 and then the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in the 5000 of which she is Italian record holder (14:31.64 for fourth place at the Paris Games) on June 6 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.
