Pietro Arese won bronze at the European Athletics Championships in Rome this year over 1500 metres. © ANSA / FABIO FRUSTACI

New Year's Eve cracker: Bekele and Arese at BOclassic

The organizers of the New Year's Eve race in Bolzano have pulled off two more coups. 40 days before the 50th BOclassic South Tyrol, which will take place on Tuesday, December 31st, the participation of two more world stars in the men's elite race has been confirmed: Telahun Haile Bekele (Ethiopia) and Pietro Arese (Italy) will be at the start on Waltherplatz.

21 November 2024

From: pm/sn

For the Ethiopian long-distance runner, it is a return to the BOclassic South Tyrol after he finished second in the 2019-kilometer course of the traditional race in 10 and seventh in the 2020 special edition in the Safety Park on the distance that was exceptionally half as long. Bekele is the former Ethiopian 5000m champion (2019) and won, among other things, the 5000m at the 2019 Golden Gala. This season, the 25-year-old finished third in the 5000m at the Diamond League final in Brussels, setting his own season best (12.45,63 minutes). His personal best over 10 kilometers dates from December 2022 and is 27.29 minutes.

It is precisely on the 10 kilometers or eight laps of the BOclassic South Tyrol in the heart of Bolzano's old town that Bekele will compete with other great athletes, including the strong "Azzurro" Pietro Arese. The 25-year-old from Piedmont will take part in the Bolzano New Year's Eve run for the third time in a row. Arese can look back on a strong 2024, in which he won the bronze medal in the 1500m at the European Championships in Rome and finished eighth in the same distance at the Summer Olympics in Paris. In this very race, Arese also set a new Italian record over 1500m, in 3.30,74:XNUMX minutes.

Crippa also there

Also taking part is the Bolzano fans' favourite: Yemaneberhan "Yeman" Crippa. His participation was announced ten days ago. Crippa holds the Italian record over 10km with a time of 27.08 minutes. For the elite women's race, which is held over five kilometres (four laps), athlete manager Gianni Demadonna has not yet commented on Nadia Battocletti's competitors. The Trentino native returns to Bolzano as defending champion after winning the Olympic silver medal over 10.000 m and two European Championship gold medals (5000 and 10.000 m) this year.