Olympic 10,000m silver medallist and European 10,000m and 5000m champion Nadia Battocletti has confirmed she will be targeting next month’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkiye on 8 December.
The Italian has enjoyed a brilliant season on the track, winning her first senior medals on the track.
After thrilling her home fans with a brilliant long distance double at Roma 2024, she went on to win silver at the Paris Olympic Games over 10,000m, where she was also fourth over 5000m. She also set new national records in Paris, clocking 14:31.64 over 5000m and 30:43.35 over 10,000m.
She is set to open her cross country season in her home country at the iconic Cinque Mulini, in San Vittore Olona, near Milan. It will be the 92nd edition of the famous race which has shifted from its traditional January staging to Sunday 17 November, acting as a build event to December’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships.
Battocletti has an excellent track record at the event, having won the women’s U20 gold twice (Tilburg 2018, Dublin 2019) and the women’s U23 gold twice (Dublin 2021, Turin 2023).
Last year in Brussels 2023, she settled for silver in the senior women’s race behind Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal, who claimed her third successive victory. Battocletti got a measure of revenge when she outkicked Grøvdal to win 5000m gold at Roma 2024.
Back on natural terrain, another fascinating contest is sure to unfold. Can Grøvdal grab a fourth crown, will Battocletti complete the full set of gold medals or will another name emerge?
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics