Aniko Kalovics winning the 5km at the Bolzano BoClassic (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
The 33rd edition of BOCLASSIC, the international New Year’s Eve Run in Bozen (South Tyrol) comes up with several stars. Titleholders Abderrahim Goumri and Aniko Kalovics participate in the run as well as record winner Sergey Lebid.
The seven-time European Cross champion and the race ambassador Silvia Weissteiner are the darlings of the public. The complete participants has been officially presented at the pre-event press conference.
Three European champions, as well as medal winners in World, European and African Championships will see to an exceptional track and field sports party.
European Cross Champion Sergey Lebid faces half a dozen African top runners. Nowadays, Goumri is considered as one of the three best marathon runners of the world (2nd in New York and London).
A very hot lead to the win is Edwin Soi. The Kenyan was elected 2007 as world best road runner and celebrated two wins in the World Athletics Final. Another hot tip is Marathon World silver medallist Shami Mubarak Hassan of Qatar.
In the women’s race spectators will see again two out of three podium runners from last year. Titleholder Aniko Kalovics from Hungary and local hero and Italian leading runner Silvia Weissteiner.
The 28-year-old Italian is the new ambassador of the race. The strongest opponent for Kalovics might be Tetyana Holovchenko, last year’s European cross country champion and Kenyan Sylvia Kibet who finished 4th at the World Championships in Osaka over 5000 metres.
All of them have to pay attention at Emebt Eta Bedada. In the last month the 17-year-old promising Ethiopian runner was able to beat Kalovics twice in cross country races.
The BOCLASSIC is one of the world’s most famous New Year’s Eve runs. The race takes place in the ancient lanes of Bozen/Bolzano downtown.
The length of the race is 5000 metres for women (4 rounds) and 10,000 metres for men. Women’s race will start at 3pm, men’s race at 3.30 pm.
In the run-up will be held the BOCLASSIC 4 ALL, an international amateur race over 5000 metres and the Raiffeisen youth races with a total amount of 400 runners.
Markus Kaserer for the IAAF
