News Archive

News Archive

Stefano Baldini wins the AIMS/ASICS WORLD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Italian Olympic Marathon Gold Medal winner Stefano Baldini has

been announced as the top athlete in the world by the Association of

International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS).

Baldini received the top award in World road running, the AIMS/ASICS

Golden Shoe today (29/30 06 05) in Turin, Italy from TOROC (Organizing

Committee of the Winter Olympic Games of Torino 2006) Deputy President,

Evelina Christillin and at the presence of the FIDAL Regional President

(Italian Federation of Athletics), Maurizio Damilano.

Hiroaki Chosa, President of AIMS comments: ‘I am delighted on behalf

of the 204 member races of AIMS across over 80 countries to officially

announce Stefano Baldini as the AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the

Year.  Stefano is a fine athlete and it is fitting recognition of

his achievements that he should win this global award.’

Stefano Baldini comments: ‘I am greatly honoured to accept this

prestigious global award.  I look forward to putting the ASICS

Golden Shoe beside my Olympic Gold Medal.’

The award stretches back into 2004 when the highlight of Stefano’s

year was undoubtedly his Olympic Gold Medal winning performance in the

Olympic Athens marathon 2:10:55.

The prize giving from the TOROC Deputy President has a special

meaning, because it extends the Olympic spirit of Athen 2004, well

interpreted by the Italian Champion, to the way of the Olympic Torch of

Torino 2006, in which Stefano Baldini will be the first torch-bearer.

AIMS Athlete Info Page: Stefano Baldini

Stefano Baldini

Place of birth Castelnovo di Sotto, near Reggio Emilia

Birthdate 25 May 1971

Height 1.76 m or 5 feet 9 inches

Weight 60 kg or 132 pounds

Sport Club: Corradini Excelsior Rubiera (CER)

Occupation: Athlete and employee of CER

Coach: Luciano Gigliotti (coach of Gelindo Bordin)

Marathon Career Highlights:

1st 1998 Budapest European Championships 2:12:01

DNF Sydney Olympic Marathon

3rd 2001 Edmonton World Championships  2:13:18

6th 2002 London Marathon 2:07:29 - still his PR

2nd 2003 London Marathon 2:07:56 -his 2nd fastest

3rd 2003 Paris World Championships 2:09:14

4th 2004 London Marathon 2:08:37

1st 2004 Athens Olympic Games 2:10:55

5th 2005 London Marathon 2:09:25

Other items of interest: has a brother Marco whose personal best in the

marathon is 2:16:32

Is married to Virna De Angeli, 2nd in the 1994 World junior

championships in 400 m hurdles

Information supplied by AIMS Statistics Director Dr David Martin

AIMS/ASICS World Athlete of the Year Awards Information 

The AIMS/ASICS World athlete of the year awards were founded in 1992

and are decided each year by way of nominations made by the members of

the world body The Association of International Marathons & Road

Races (AIMS) member races. The membership totals some 200 races in over

80 countries covering every continent of the world.

A male and female winner are recognised each year for their outstanding

athletic achievement and as ambassadors for their sport and country.

The award is sponsored by sports company ASICS and each winner is awarded a golden ASICS shoe.

Winners To Date

Year of Award Male Winner Female Winner Comments

1992 Benson Masya (Kenya)  -

            Liz

McColgan (Scotland) 

1993 Dionicio Ceron (Mexico) -         No Award 

1994 Vincent Rousseau (Belgium) -     Uta Pippig (Germany) 

1995 No

Award                           -     

Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) 

1996 Paul Tergat

(Kenya)            

-     Uta Pippig (Germany) 

1997 Josia Thugwane (South Africa) - Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) 

1998 Ronaldo da Costa (Brazil) -         Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) 

1999 Abel Anton

(Spain) -                 

Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) 

2000 Gezahenge Abera (Ethiopia)     - Naoko Takahashi (Japan) 

2001 Josephat Kiprono (Kenya)         -Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 

2002 Khalid Kannouchi (USA)         -  Paula Radcliffe (England) 

2003 Paul Tergat

(Kenya)                

- Paula Radcliffe (England) 

2004 Stefano Baldini

(Italy)                -

Mizuki Noguchi (Japan) 

 

Peter McLean

Director of Public RelationsAssociation of International Marathons & Road Races

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