11 October 2006 - Milan, Italy - Stefano Baldini, Italy’s outstanding major championship marathon runner with the Olympic gold, two European crowns  and two World Championships bronze medals in his showcase, showed in his 23km test at last Sunday’s Milan City Marathon (8 Oct) that he is ready for next month’s New York Marathon scheduled on 5 November 2006.

“I am very happy with my test in Milan,” confirmed the Olympic champion. “I had a very good feeling. I ran 23km to complete my week’s work load of 230 km. I wanted to recreate the same conditions I will find in New York. I think that I fulfilled my goal running the half-marathon in 1:04 which was I had hoped for. My running is not brilliant yet but in this period I am working very hard to be ready for New York.

“Two days before Milan I ran 38 km in training and it went very well. I think that it’s normal that I am not in top shape now. I have still three weeks of specific training to do at home with a couple of long run sessions before leaving to New York.”

The Milan test came one week after his fifth place in the Great North Run from Newcastle to South Shields in 62:42 where he faced many of the rivals who are expected to run in New York.

“I felt empty in the first 5 kilometres when my rivals began at a very fast pace”, said Baldini of his Great North Run race.

His attempt to become the fifth Italian to “conquer” the Big Apple after the wins of Orlando Pizzolato (1984 and 1985), Gianni Poli (1986), Giacomo Leone (1996) and Franca Fiacconi (1998) will be far from easy against last year’s winner Paul Tergat and this year’s Great North Run winner Hendrick Ramaala who will renew their battle after 2005’s epic clash which saw the Kenyan legend prevailing by just one second.
 
“I am impressed by how Ramaala ran in Newcastle. I think that he is the man to beat in New York. Tergat is always a big competitor. I am sure that he will be ready for New York. But not to underestimate is the US star Dathan Ritzenheim who ran very well in Newcastle”, said Baldini.

It will the fourth appearance for Baldini in New York. His best result was in 1997 when he finished third in 2:09:31 bouncing back from the disappointment in 1996 when he dropped out. He returned in 2002 when he ended up in fifth place in 2:09:12.

“I prefer the London course but what makes New York so special is the very warm support from the crowd on the streets.” 

“I am still very motivated after winning the Olympic gold in Athens and the European crown in Gothenburg. Going to New York is something that gives me extra motivation because it will probably the last time I will compete there. Next year the World Championships in Osaka will be scheduled very late in the summer and in two years I will defend my Olympic title in Beijing.”
 
“I am still full of energy and in good shape. I will use a step-by step approach to Beijing”, said Baldini in Gothenburg.
The European title won this summer in Gothenburg was the latest highlight of a career which is far from over at the age of 35. The successful 2006 season also witnessed an Italian record in the London Marathon where he finished fifth in 2:07:22.

“The gold in Gothenburg represents the consistency at high level. It was not easy because everyone expected me to win. Any result different from the gold would have been seen as a failure by many. I felt extra pressure on the eve of Gothenburg. This is why I felt the same joy in Sweden as on 29 August 2004 when I crossed the finish-line first in Athens.”

Gothenburg capped a great season which did not begin well due to a tendon injury which slowed his winter preparation.

“In January I feared I might miss the London Marathon. But I think it is normal because injuries are part of the game. At the beginning of the year I could run only one hour a day. But I worked beyond my expectations in Namibia and my confidence was boosted after running 61:14 in the Stramilano Half Marathon.”

“I appreciate it when other italian sportsmen consider me as an example to follow and my win in Athens is frequently compared with other achievements by other athletes. At the Winter Olympic Games in Turin the gold medal won by Giorgio Di Centa in the 50 km Free Mass Start Cross Country Skiing was compared with my win in the Olympic Marathon victory in Athens. This made me proud. Both me and Di Centa received the Olympic gold medals during the closing ceremonies.”

During 2005 Baldini missed some training sessions due to post-Olympic victory commitments. “This affected my 2005 season but I see these commitments as a way to promote our sport and do something in favour of Italian athletics”, concluded Baldini.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF