Battocletti and Bekele Triumph at the 50th Boclassic in Bolzano
The 50th edition of the Boclassic, held in the picturesque city of Bolzano on Tuesday (31), delivered thrilling performances from some of the world’s top distance runners. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti showcased her dominance in the women’s 5 km race, while Ethiopia’s Telahun Hailu Bekele etched his name into the event’s history by breaking the men’s 10 km course record. The annual road race, renowned for its competitive atmosphere and vibrant crowd, once again proved to be a fitting stage for athletic excellence, closing out the year with unforgettable moments.
Battocletti and Bekele Triumph at the 50th Boclassic in Bolzano
Nadia Battocletti clinched her second consecutive victory in the women’s 5 km race at the prestigious Boclassic in Bolzano, capping off the finest season of her career. The Olympic 10,000m silver medallist and reigning European champion in both the 5,000m and 10,000m took an early lead during the opening lap. She was closely pursued by Ethiopia’s Aleshign Baweke, the 2024 World U20 3,000m champion, Turkey’s four-time European cross-country champion Yasemin Can, as well as Italy’s Elisa Palmero and Federica Del Buono.
As the race unfolded, Battocletti, Baweke, and Can broke away with three laps remaining. By the third lap, Battocletti and Baweke had established a three-second lead over Can, clocking 11:54.
In the final lap, Battocletti surged ahead, but Baweke stayed tenaciously on her heels. Battocletti launched a decisive kick near the iconic Frog Fountain and crossed the finish line in 15:31, narrowly missing her own course record by just one second. Baweke secured second place in 15:35, while Can finished third in 16:05, narrowly edging out Federica Del Buono by two seconds.
“It was a tough race. It got colder than I anticipated, but the crowd’s support was incredible. This victory boosts my confidence for the 2025 season. I’ll begin the year at Campaccio on January 6 before competing in another cross-country event in Alà dei Sardi on January 26,” said Battocletti.
Men’s Race
Telahun Hailu Bekele of Ethiopia triumphed in the men’s 10 km race, setting a new course record of 27:59, one second faster than the previous mark set by world half marathon champion Sebastian Sawe in 2023.
The early stages saw South Africa’s Maxime Chaumeton leading the pack, closely followed by Italy’s Yeman Crippa, Kenya’s Timothy Rotich, Bekele, and Morocco’s Soufiane Bouqantar. Meanwhile, two-time Boclassic champion Oscar Chelimo and Italy’s Pietro Riva trailed in a chasing group.
By the halfway point, Chaumeton, Crippa, Rotich, and Bekele had clocked 14:03. The leading group was gradually reduced to Crippa, Bekele, and Rotich, who reached the sixth lap in 21:05, leaving a nine-second gap to Chaumeton.
Bekele launched his decisive attack in the penultimate lap. Rotich moved into second place, temporarily distancing Crippa. However, the determined Italian reeled Rotich back in.
Despite a strong final lap effort, Crippa fell just short of overtaking Bekele, who held on to secure victory by a single second in 27:59.
“It was an incredible race, and I’m thrilled to win here with a new course record. Italy feels like my second home, and this victory is special. I’m exhausted but very happy,” said Bekele.
Crippa finished second for the third consecutive year, clocking 28:00, with Rotich completing the podium in 28:08. Crippa redeemed his recent defeat to Rotich, who had bested him at the Giro al Sas in Trento last October.
Chaumeton secured fourth place in 28:27.
“I wanted to win in front of my home fans, who supported me throughout, but Bekele was simply better today. I have no regrets—I’m proud to finish the year with second place here in Bolzano,” said Crippa.
