Silvia Weissteiner of Italy celebrates winning brozne in Birmingham (© Getty Images)
Silvia Weissteiner produced one of the biggest surprises of Italian athletics in 2007 when she won the European indoor bronze medal in the 3000m in Birmingham.
In the greatest race of her career Silvia set a new Italian indoor record running 8:44.81 which ranked her eighth in the World Indoor list in 2007.
She improved her previous record by 12 seconds. In 2005 she ran 8:56.27 when she finished fifth at the European Indoor Championships in Madrid.
Her medal was a big surprise to many Italian athletics fans but confirmed the recent progress of the small runner born in Vipiteno in the German-speaking region of Alto Adige in Northern Italy.
“I did not expect to go on the podium. I went to Birmingham to set the Italian record. Winning a medal was a great experience which has repaid me for all hard training,” said Weissteiner.
Osaka final - biggest achievement
She confirmed her results during the summer when she qualified for the World Championships final in Osaka in the 5000m where she finished 12th in 15:11.81, a new career best.
“I knew that it would be difficult to reach the final in Osaka against the Africans. I ran very well in the heats and in the final where I set my PB. At the beginning of the season I considered the participation at the World Championships as a very tough goal to achieve.”
It was one of her four PBs in the 5000m during a very successful summer season. She opened her season in Hengelo with 15:16.19 and went on to run 15:14:11 in the Oslo Golden League meeting in the World record race of Ethiopian legend Meseret Defar.
After Osaka, Weissteiner smashed her 5000m career best by nine seconds in the last leg of the IAAF Golden League in Berlin where she ran 15:02.65 in front of 70,000 spectators who packed the Olympia Stadion.
National records aplenty
She also improved her outdoor record in the 3000m running 8:48.63 at the 43rd edition of the Palio della Quercia in Rovereto, the oldest Italian meeting and contributed to the return of the Italian women’s team to the European Cup Super League for 2008 with a 3000-5000 metres double in the First League meeting in Milan at the end of June.
“Osaka, the bronze medal with the new national record at the European indoor championships in Birmingham and my PB in Berlin are my biggest achievements of the season. I expected to improve my record because I have not run a fast race for two years and I knew that I could fulfil my potential this year.”
Weissteiner is looking forward to next year’s goals. “I will continue running the 5000 metres next year because I have already achieved the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games over this distance. I will be also running at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia over the 3000 metres.”
“I will continue running on the track in 2008 and 2009. I could run long road races in the future but I don’t know when yet.”
Family tradition
Weissteiner began her running career at the age of 12 following in the footsteps of her elder brother Roland, who is a former national team’s cross country runner. Later they were joined by their other brother Michael.
Silvia is trained by Ruggero Grassi, a young coach from Vipiteno. Her training partner is Christian Obrist, twice a European Championships finalist at 1500 metres in 2002 and 2006 and a semi finalist at the World Championships in Osaka over the same distance.
“At the beginning athletics was just a passion. Training has become more serious during the years. I have always been coached by Ruggero Grassi who began his career with me and my brother. Both Roland and Michael have given up running seriously and continue running from time to time for fun.”
Silvia is the example of an athlete who managed to emerge with dedication and patience after many years. “When I began running I was not among the best athletes because in my region there is a very strong competition. But I never gave up and now my moment has arrived.”
Weissteiner runs successfully on the track, on the road and on cross country surfaces.
“I don’t run many kilometres but I work on my strength and run circuits which have been very useful to improve my finish,” said Weissteiner.
Weissteiner hails from a region with a keen passion for sport, especially athletics and winter sports. The success of athletes from this region is shown by many important results during the last season. Alex Schwazer, who also comes from Vipiteno, won the World bronze medal in the 50km in Osaka doubling the same result achieved two years before in Helsinki.
The region stages important competitions like the traditional Boclassic Silvesterlauf road race on 31 December or the Palio della Quercia in Rovereto. In 2009 the small and fascinating town of Bressanone, already venue of a fantastic edition of the Italian Championships in 2005, will stage the IAAF World Youth Championships.
“I don’t know exactly the reasons for the success of athletics in my region. Many youngsters begin with athletics because our sport is an important part of our culture. I am proud to represent my region when I compete abroad for the national team.”
Silvia lives in Casateia, a small village near Racines, where Alex Schwazer also lives.
“My region offers many places to walk in the mountains. Unfortunately training does not give me the chance to spend my spare time for my hobbies or for other sports. When I don’t run I like cooking,” concluded Weissteiner.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
