World and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti eased to a successful defence of her title on home soil at the Campaccio Cross, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting, in San Giorgio su Legnano on Sunday (25).
In her first race of the season, Battocletti won the senior women’s 6km in 21:11 - three seconds faster than last year - for a clear and commanding victory over Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi in 21:32 despite suffering a mid-race fall just before the halfway point.
Elvanie Nimbona, who has previously competed internationally for Burundi but has recently gained Italian citizenship, competed the podium in third in 21:33.
Battocletti, who won her second senior title at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa last month, will now turn her attention to the indoor season with the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze (Torun) from 20-22 March her next principal target.
"It's always great to run and win at Campaccio and it's been a while since I've fallen in a race. I almost felt like a child again, but that can happen in the mud," said Battocletti as quoted by FIDAL.
On her upcoming race plans, Battocletti said: "I'll debut on 6 February in Madrid in the 1500m and I'll run the 3000m on the 19th in Lievin, France. From there I'll fly to Sicily for the Festa del Cross on 22 February in Selinunte. I want to be at the Italian [Cross Country] Championships every year and that's exactly what I'll be doing this time too. Then my focus will be on the World Indoor Championships in March."
In the senior men’s 10km, Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana took the plaudits with victory in 30:38 with Luca Alfieri the top Italian finisher in sixth in 31:06.
Photos courtesy of Sportmedia / Campaccio