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| Nationality | Italian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1959-04-02)2 April 1959 (age 66) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event | Marathon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Atalanta Paf Alitrans Verona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Gelindo Bordin (born 2 April 1959) is an Italian formerLong Distance Runner, winner of themarathon race at the1988 Summer Olympics. He is the firstItalian to have won an Olympic gold in the marathon and the only male to win both theBoston Marathon and the Olympic gold medal in this event.
Born inVicenza, Italy, Bordin made his first breakthrough at the1986 European Championships, where he won agold medal in the marathon.[1] His next international competition was the1987 World Championships inRome. The marathon race was held on a very hot and humid day. Bordin wisely held back from the leaders in the early stages. He caught up with the leaders after the 35 km mark and finally managed to hold on to the third place, winning a bronze medal.
At theOlympic marathon inSeoul,Bordin stayed with the leaders from the start. After 25 km (16 mi) the leading pack started to distance itself from the rest of the runners. With 5 km (3.1 mi) remaining, only three runners remained: Bordin,Wakiihuri, theKenyan and the Djiboutan,Salah. With 3 km (1.9 mi) to go, Salah surged forward taking Wakihuri with him and establishing a comfortable gap between the two and Bordin. At this late stage of the race the move seemed a decisive one, leading most viewers and sport commentators to reasonably conclude that the gold and silver medals were to be decided between Wakihuri and Salah, with Bordin hopefully holding on to his bronze medal position. But Bordin's sheer courage and determination gradually saw him lessen the gap and finally catch up with the leaders once again, much to the delight of the Italian commentators and fans who were now ecstatic. He first passed Wakihuri and then the tiring Salah with 1 km (0.62 mi) to go, gradually increasing his lead and achieving the ultimate prize of Olympic gold.[2]
Bordin successfully defended hisEuropean marathon title in 1990, becoming the first man to win the title twice, but at the1991 World Championships inTokyo, he finished in a disappointing eighth place.[3] Bordin attempted to defend his Olympic title at1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona, but he strained a groin muscle jumping over a fallen runner just after the halfway mark, and failed to finish. Shortly after the 1992 SummerOlympics Bordin decided to retire.[4]
Bordin is the only male to win both theBoston Marathon and anOlympic gold medal in the marathon.[5] He won theBoston Marathon in 1990 and describes the victory as his "second greatest run, after winning the Olympics".[6]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Milano Marathon | Milan, Italy | 1st | Marathon | 2:13:20 |
| 1985 | 1985 World Marathon Cup | Hiroshima, Japan | 12th | Marathon | 2:11:29 |
| 1985 European Marathon Cup | Rome, Italy | 7th | Marathon | 2:15:13 | |
| 1986 | European Championships | Stuttgart,West Germany | 1st | Marathon | 2:10:54 |
| 1987 | Rome City Marathon | Rome, Italy | 1st | Marathon | 2:16:03 |
| World Championships | Rome, Italy | 3rd | Marathon | 2:12:40 | |
| 1988 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 4th | Marathon | 2:09:27 |
| Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 1st | Marathon | 2:10:32 | |
| 1989 | New York City Marathon | New York, United States | 3rd | Marathon | 2:09:40 |
| 1990 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:08:19 |
| European Championships | Split,FR Yugoslavia | 1st | Marathon | 2:14:02 | |
| Venice Marathon | Venice, Italy | 1st | Marathon | 2:13:42 | |
| 1991 | World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 8th | Marathon | 2:17:03 |
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | — | Marathon | DNF |
