Sept. 21 – Italy’s Nadia Battocletti will compete at the Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce near Seville on Nov. 8, returning to the discipline that could provide the next chapter in her increasingly decorated career.
The 26-year-old, who won the 3,000 metres at the World Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this year, will line up at the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting after retaining her European 5,000m and 10,000m titles in Birmingham in August.
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Battocletti completed the 5,000m-10,000m double at the European Championships for the second successive edition, winning the longer race in 31:41.17 after taking the 5,000m title in 15:37.84. She then finished her track campaign with sub-four-minute 1,500m performances, including an Italian record of 3:57.54 in Bellinzona and a 3:59.49 victory in Rovereto.
Her appearance at Itálica will begin her build-up towards the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Belgrade on Dec. 13, where she will bid for a third consecutive senior women’s title.
Battocletti’s recent global record includes Olympic silver in the 10,000m at the Paris Games in 2024, world championship silver over 10,000m and bronze over 5,000m in 2025, as well as the 2026 world indoor 3,000m crown. Her European honours include seven senior gold medals across track, road and cross country.
She will aim to break new ground for Italy at the race, founded in 1982. No Italian has won either the elite men’s or women’s event.
Recent women’s winners include Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot, Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chepkoech and Beatrice Chebet, while Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won in 2025.
The strength of Battocletti’s 2026 form makes her a leading contender, but the race will test whether her track speed can continue to translate to the demanding cross-country circuit at the Roman ruins outside Seville.
