Nadia Battocletti Leads Star-Studded Lineup for the 50th Boclassic in Bolzano
Olympic 10,000-meter silver medalist Nadia Battocletti will headline the 50th edition of the Boclassic Alto Adige New Year’s Eve, a World Athletics Label Road Race.
Battocletti returns to Bolzano aiming to defend her title in the women’s 5 km road race. The Italian star triumphed in last year’s event, navigating the winding, cobbled streets of Bolzano to cross the finish line in 15:30. She finished ahead of Nelly Chepchirchir and Margaret Kipkemboi Chelimo, becoming the first Italian winner since Maria Curatolo in 1988.
The Bolzano victory served as a springboard for Battocletti, who went on to secure two European gold medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in Rome and claimed Olympic silver in the 10,000 meters, improving her personal best to 30:43.35 behind Beatrice Chebet. She also placed fourth in the 5,000 meters Olympic final, setting a new Italian record of 14:31.64. Last December, Battocletti added a European cross-country gold medal to her accolades, becoming the first athlete to win titles across the Under-20, Under-23, and senior categories.
“It’s a pleasure to return to Bolzano. I have wonderful memories of this race, and I hope tomorrow’s event will inspire an even greater season in 2025,” Battocletti said.
She will face stiff competition from Turkey’s Yasemin Can, a multiple European champion making her debut in Bolzano. Can boasts an impressive resume, including four European Cross Country gold medals (2016 Chia, 2017 Samorin, 2018 Tilburg, and 2019 Lisbon) and three European track titles (5,000 and 10,000 meters in 2016 Amsterdam and 10,000 meters in 2022 Munich). Most recently, Can finished third behind Battocletti at this year’s European Cross Country Championships in Antalya.
“I’m happy to compete against Nadia again. I’ll do my best,” said Can.
Italian middle-distance runner Ludovica Cavalli, a 1,500-meter finalist at the World Championships and European Team Cross Country senior champion, also returns to Bolzano after finishing fifth last year.
Another rising star to watch is Ethiopia’s Aleshign Baweke, the world Under-20 champion in the 3,000 meters from Lima last August.
In the men’s race, Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo will face Italy’s Eyob Faniel in a showdown between past Boclassic winners. Chelimo is eyeing a third title after victories in 2020 and 2022. The Ugandan athlete won bronze in the 5,000 meters at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene.
Faniel, who won the Boclassic in 2019, became the third Italian in history to claim the title, following in the footsteps of legends Alberto Cova (1985) and Salvatore Antibo (1988).
Yeman Crippa, competing for the ninth time at the Boclassic, is another strong contender. He finished runner-up in 2022 behind Chelimo and in 2023 behind course record-holder Sebastian Sawe. Crippa won the European Half Marathon gold medal in Rome and took silver at the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya. Earlier this year, he set an Italian marathon record of 2:06:06 in Seville, later surpassed by Yohanes Chiappinelli’s 2:05:24 in Valencia on December 1.
“It’s an honor to end the season in Bolzano. I feel at home here, with so many fans cheering me on. I’m returning with the goal of winning,” said Crippa during the pre-race press conference.
Pietro Riva also had a strong season, finishing second to Crippa in the European Half Marathon Championships in Rome and improving his personal best to 2:07:37 at the Valencia Marathon.
Ethiopia’s Telahun Bekele, who placed second to Faniel in the 2019 Boclassic, is another notable entrant. Bekele’s career highlights include fourth place in the 5,000 meters at the Doha World Championships and personal bests of 7:25.48 in the 3,000 meters (Eugene) and 12:42.70 in the 5,000 meters (Monaco) in 2023.
South Africa’s Maxime Chaumeton will compete for the third time, having finished third in both 2022 and 2023. The national 5,000-meter champion achieved a personal best of 13:22.26 this year.
Another athlete to watch is Tom Mortimer, who recorded personal bests of 13:25.27 in the 5,000 meters and 7:40.97 in the 3,000 meters.
The races will take place on a 1.25 km loop through Bolzano’s historic city center.
The Boclassic has received the World Athletics Heritage Plaque to commemorate its 50th edition.
The event’s illustrious history features winners such as Uta Pippig (1990), Tegla Loroupe (three-time winner in 1994–1996), Berhane Adere (four-time winner in 1997, 2002–2004), Vivian Cheruiyot (2010, 2011), and Sebastian Sawe (2023), among many others.
“Bolzano’s New Year’s Eve event was a trailblazer in Europe, being the first road race to celebrate the transition from the old year to the new. Its international reputation for excellence consistently attracts a star-studded elite field. Over fifty years, it has become an integral part of Bolzano’s social fabric, with citizens enthusiastically cheering on participants and joining the recreational runs,” commented World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
