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Baldini set for inaugural BUPA Great Wales Run

Posted June 26th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Reigning Olympic Marathon gold medalist, Stefano Baldini of Italy, will test his legs of a distance less than one fourth as long at the inaugural BUPA Great Wales Run in Cardiff on Sunday, July 29, organizers announced today.

Baldini, who is also the reigning European champion in the marathon, will bypass the IAAF World Championships this summer, making sure his recovery from the Flora London Marathon –where he dropped out because of the flu– is complete. He has said that preparing to defend his title in Beijing is is most important goal.

“That very much worked in our favour when we invited him to run in Cardiff,” said Matthew Turnbull the event’s elite athlete director, in a press release. “To have the Olympic champion taking to the streets of Cardiff is a major statement of our ambition to make this event a 10k of international significance.”

While not naming any other competitors, Turnbull said that Baldini was not assured of an easy victory.

“I’m planning to recruit some tough opposition from both home and abroad to ensure Baldini is fully tested over what is a very fast course,” he concluded.