Stefano Baldini heads the field in the 2001 World championships Marathon (bronze medallist) (© Getty Images)
Italy’s Stefano Baldini travels to Paris with a second place finish in the bag from this year’s the prestigious London marathon. There he was a hair's breadth away from a win, outsprinted and outdipped by Ethiopia’s World and Olympic champion Gezahegne Abera, in a breathtaking finish which was more reminiscent of a sprint race than a 42.195 km ordeal.
Both men recorded the same time of 2:07:56, and will rejoin in battle at the 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Paris 2003 Saint Denis.
“My second place in London was a great result for me,” confirmed Baldini. “Immediately after crossing the finish-line in London I was a bit disappointed to be outkicked in the photo-finish, but it is a great achievement to finish ahead of Ngolepus and Tergat and I am very proud of that race.“
Baldini, a good track specialist with PBs of 7:43.14 in the 3000 metres, 13:23.43 in the 5000 metres and 27:43.98 in the 10,000 metres, collected his first major title on the road at the IAAF World Half Marathon in Palma de Maiorca in 1996.
In 1997 he achieved his first big result in the marathon when he finished second in London with a new Italian record of 2:07.57, two hundredths of a second off Portugal’s Antonio Pinto. However, he opted for the 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Athens of that year where he finished ninth.
The 32-year-old runner, born in Castelnovo di Sotto near Reggio Emilia in Northern Italy, won the European Marathon title in Budapest 1998 when Danilo Goffi and Vincenzo Modica completed an historical medal sweep for Italy.
After Budapest he sustained so many injuries that his preparation for the Sydney Olympics were ruined and he was forced to withdraw from the race after 18 km due to a recurrent gluteus injury. It was the lowest period of his career. His dream to equal Gelindo Bordin, who won the Olympic title in Seoul 1988, was not fulfilled.
“This negtive experience made me stronger. But I was sure that I would have returned stronger than before,” said Baldini.
This disappointment would have discouraged many athletes but not Baldini who bounced back in 2001 to win the bronze in Edmonton and collected his second Italian record at the London Marathon with 2:07:29 in April 2002. Then he finished sixth in the best marathon race in history which was marked by the victory of Khalid Khannouchi in a new world best of 2:05:38, over Paul Tergat’s 2:05:48 and Haile Gebrselassie’s 2:06:35.
In August 2002 he chose to run the 10,000 metres at the European Championships in Munich, where he finished a good fourth in 27:50.98 behind track specialists like Jose Manuel Martinez, Dieter Baumann and Josè Rios.
Baldini is married to the 400 metres sprinter Virna De Angeli, currently the italian record holder in the 400 metres flat with 51.31. Virna will also be in the italian team in Paris where she runs the 4x400 race.
“I cannot describe how happy I was when Virna gave birth to Alessia. My daughter’s birth made me a more motivated athlete and a more mature man.”
“The birth of my daughter two years ago made me forget the Sydney disappointment.”
“Paris is very important for my career but my real goal is to reach the peak at the Athens Olympics in August 2004 which could be the last big event of my career. Before Athens I am planning to run one more marathon next spring, probably in London in a race I love. I would like to stick to my usual plans and return to London where I have always done my best. After Paris I will decide with my coach Lucio Gigliotti if I will run another marathon in the autumn.”
Gigliotti who guided Gelindo Bordin to the Olympic victory in Seoul and more recently Maria Guida to the European title in Munich in August 2002, has been coaching Baldini for twelve years.
“Lucio and I have a good relationship. A glance between us is enough to understand each other. He also leaves me free to organize my training plan.”
Stefano has many goals after he will hang up his running shoes. “I would like to help my parents who run a farm in Castelnovo di Sotto with 250 cows which are milked to produce the famous Parmesan cheese. When I have free time I sometimes work with my parents. They work 365 days very hard without rest. This environment based on principles like hard work and dedication were also fundamental to my emergence as world-class marathon runner, so this is the ideal place for me.”
Stefano grew up in a very large family with six brothers and five sisters. “My brothers have played a fundamental role in my career. It was thanks to my brother Marco, also a good runner, that I began running my first cross-country races and abandoned football. I began with track races over 5000 and 10000 metres but I realized soon that my first love was the marathon.”
