The thirty-year-old, already queen on the track, on the road and in cross, will aim for indoor races for the first time in 2026: “Even if the activity in the hall doesn’t excite me, in January I will go to a rally. And in the summer I’m aiming for the European Championships”
A direct flight from Faro to Bergamo, a couple of stops in the Treviso area to define new and old partnerships and in the evening, finally, home. For Nadia Battocletti the day after yet another feat – the sixth European cross title, the second overall in a row – is almost more demanding than the race one. But the smile and polite manners are never lacking.
Nadia, do you enjoy your successes or do you immediately move on?
“The celebrations on Sunday were very beautiful: there were many friends from the Fan Club. I thought about my past in this review: the result was often repeated, but each experience was different. I don’t forget, for example, that three weeks before Lisbon 2019 I ended up in hospital…”.
Are you already thinking about the next goal?
“It goes beyond athletics: as I said, the Geotechnics exam awaits me on December 30th, the last one for the degree in Building Engineering-Architecture. Thanks to the Top Sport project of the University of Trento relating to the Dual Career, as well as the availability of the professor, I managed to set it on a date that suits me: in January, when there will be the regular session, I will be at a meeting near Piombino”.
Have you used this possibility often?
“For 3 exams out of 36: I didn’t want to take advantage of it.”
In Lagoa she was also captain…
“The first time was at the Eurocross in Venaria 2022, I was under 23. I like it when everyone cheers for everyone else. To involve the younger ones I changed the protocol: it was the juniors who prepared the oil and vinegar potion for the rookies of the major Italian teams, Gasmi and the reserves Costa and Fracassini. I was a hairdresser”.
Why do you use calf tape?
“As a precaution: I have a very pronated arch. On a pitch like this I ran risks. As an Inter fan I often choose the black and blues, and the tricolors in the national team.”
Did you like the route, so narrow and tortuous?
“Up to a certain point. It was treacherous: I wanted to use nails size 9, then given the many slips I opted for size 12. How many falls… Poor Chiappinelli, pushed, ended up against a pole and was scraped between his neck and chest.”
In the event he has 6 golds and 7 medals: the leader, with 9 and 12, is the Ukrainian Sergei Lebid, his father’s former clubmate at Cover, do you remember him?
“Of course. I saw him again recently, a technician from his federation. Because of the war he now lives in Switzerland.”
2025 ends: what was your best race?
“The 10,000 silver at the Tokyo World Championships: for the quality of the competition, for how I interpreted them. The biggest regrets are instead linked to the 5,000: bronze was ok, but I should have dared more.”
“Despite the Italian record, the 3000 in Rabat. I ran with little clarity.”
What was the sporting event that involved you the most?
“Trento’s success in the Italian basketball cup, a sport that I have learned to appreciate. The team’s medical director, Fabio Diana, is my doctor.”
“I’m rewatching all the 20-minute episodes of the 11 seasons of Modern Family for the twelfth time. Crazy: I know the lines by heart. And I followed the last season of Stranger Things.”
The best thing he did?
“Becoming a testimonial of the World Food Program from June”.
Will Milan Cortina follow?
“On January 29th I will be the torch bearer in Trento. I would like to see some biathlon and Nordic combined competitions. And the downhill races: I am tied to Goggia and Brignone, but what a thrill to find Vonn at these levels again.”
Do you agree with the choices of the standard-bearers?
“It’s a nice quartet, I’m happy for them. Los Angeles 2028? It’s far away: too many goals in between.”
“For the first time, even if that activity doesn’t excite me, I would like to do the indoors properly, up until the World Championships in Torun, which however will begin four days after the end of Ramadan: we’ll see. Then I’ll aim for the European Championships in Birmingham. But I won’t get to the new Ultimate Championship, nor the road World Championships: too far, we need to preserve ourselves a little.”
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