Silvana Cruciata
Encyclopedia
Silvana Cruciata (born 15 February 1953 in Naples
) is a former Italian
middle- and long-distance runner. She represented Italy at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and shared medals with the Italian women's teams at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. Her best of 18.084 km for the one hour run set in 1981 was a world record for over seventeen years and remains the European record for the event.
Among her other achievements were wins at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon and Stramilano
road races and a bronze medal over 3000 metres
at the 1981 IAAF World Cup
.
-winning team in the long race at the 1974 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, alongside race winner Paola Pigni and Margherita Gargano
. She won a second team silver at the 1976 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
with a team of Gabriella Dorio
, and Cristina Tomasini. She came 29th at the 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, but this finish was enough to help the Italian women to the team bronze.
Cruciata represented Italy in the 1500 metres
at the 1974 European Athletics Championships, but was eliminated in the heats. She made her only Olympic appearance at the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal, and was again knocked out in the heats stage of the 1500 m. She was fifth in the final over 1500 m at the 1978 European Athletics Indoor Championships. She won a number of national titles in this period, taking the 3000 metres
Italian title in 1975, a 3000 m/1500 m indoor double in 1978, and both the 3000 m and marathon
titles in 1981. She was the bronze medal
list over 3000 m at the 1981 IAAF World Cup
.
Cruiciata broke world records for the women's one hour run in 1980 and 1981 – she managed a distance of 17.563 km in Milan in 1980 and improved upon this with a distance of 18.084 km in Rome the following year (also setting a best time of 49:44 minutes for the 15,000 m track run). Her hour run record was a long-standing achievement and the mark went unbeaten until 1998 when Kenyan Tegla Loroupe
broke the record. Cruciata's performance remains the best ever by a European, as well as being the Italian national record
. She also ran a career best of 4:24.6 minutes for the mile at the DN Galan
that year and this remains the stadium record for the event.
She also focused on road running
events in her later career. She took three straight victories at the Stramilano Half Marathon from 1976 to 1978, and took a fourth win in 1981. Her performances of 1:22:05 hours in 1977 and 1:18:44 hours in 1978 were world's best performances for women over the distance. She had her first wins over the marathon at the Monza Marathon in 1976 and 1977, but her career best came in 1980 at the San Silvestro Marathon in Rome
, where her time of 2:44:31 was a course record. In 1981 she won the Maratonina dei tre comuni, Rome-Ostia Half Marathon and the Amatrice-Configno race. She had a consecutive victory at the Tre Comuni in 1982 and won the Rome-Ostia competition for a second time in 1984.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
) is a former Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
middle- and long-distance runner. She represented Italy at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and shared medals with the Italian women's teams at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
. Her best of 18.084 km for the one hour run set in 1981 was a world record for over seventeen years and remains the European record for the event.
Among her other achievements were wins at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon and Stramilano
Stramilano
The Stramilano is an annual athletics event which takes place in Milan, Italy in spring. The event comprises three parts: the Stramilano International Half Marathon , the La Stramilano dei 50.000 and the Stramilanina – a 5 km event for younger people.The event was conceived in 1972 by the...
road races and a bronze medal over 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
at the 1981 IAAF World Cup
1981 IAAF World Cup
The 3rd IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held on September 4–6, 1981, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy.-Men:|width="50"| ...
.
Career
She began her career as a cross country runner and was part of the silver medalSilver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
-winning team in the long race at the 1974 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1974 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 16, 1974 in Monza, Italy.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :*...
, alongside race winner Paola Pigni and Margherita Gargano
Margherita Gargano
Margherita Gargano is a former female middle distance runner from Italy. She is best known for winning the gold medal at the 1979 Mediterranean Games in the women's 1,500 metres...
. She won a second team silver at the 1976 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1976 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 4th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on February 28, 1976 in Chepstow, Wales.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :*...
with a team of Gabriella Dorio
Gabriella Dorio
Gabriella Dorio is an Italian former athlete and Olympic gold winner. She first participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics, placing fourth in the 1500 metres race...
, and Cristina Tomasini. She came 29th at the 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 9th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 28, 1981 in Madrid, Spain. There were a total number of 457 participating athletes from 39 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
, but this finish was enough to help the Italian women to the team bronze.
Cruciata represented Italy in the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
at the 1974 European Athletics Championships, but was eliminated in the heats. She made her only Olympic appearance at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal, and was again knocked out in the heats stage of the 1500 m. She was fifth in the final over 1500 m at the 1978 European Athletics Indoor Championships. She won a number of national titles in this period, taking the 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
Italian title in 1975, a 3000 m/1500 m indoor double in 1978, and both the 3000 m and marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
titles in 1981. She was the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
list over 3000 m at the 1981 IAAF World Cup
1981 IAAF World Cup
The 3rd IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held on September 4–6, 1981, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy.-Men:|width="50"| ...
.
Cruiciata broke world records for the women's one hour run in 1980 and 1981 – she managed a distance of 17.563 km in Milan in 1980 and improved upon this with a distance of 18.084 km in Rome the following year (also setting a best time of 49:44 minutes for the 15,000 m track run). Her hour run record was a long-standing achievement and the mark went unbeaten until 1998 when Kenyan Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education....
broke the record. Cruciata's performance remains the best ever by a European, as well as being the Italian national record
Italian records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Italy maintained by its national athletics federation: Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceht = hand timing...
. She also ran a career best of 4:24.6 minutes for the mile at the DN Galan
DN Galan
-External links:**...
that year and this remains the stadium record for the event.
She also focused on road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
events in her later career. She took three straight victories at the Stramilano Half Marathon from 1976 to 1978, and took a fourth win in 1981. Her performances of 1:22:05 hours in 1977 and 1:18:44 hours in 1978 were world's best performances for women over the distance. She had her first wins over the marathon at the Monza Marathon in 1976 and 1977, but her career best came in 1980 at the San Silvestro Marathon in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where her time of 2:44:31 was a course record. In 1981 she won the Maratonina dei tre comuni, Rome-Ostia Half Marathon and the Amatrice-Configno race. She had a consecutive victory at the Tre Comuni in 1982 and won the Rome-Ostia competition for a second time in 1984.