Steve Moneghetti
Encyclopedia
Stephen James "Steve" Moneghetti (born 26 September 1962 in Ballarat, Victoria
) is an Australia
n long-distance runner
. Moneghetti has a degree in civil engineering, a graduate diploma in education and an honorary doctorate from the University of Ballarat
. He is a personal development consultant with the Ministry of Education and chair of the Victorian Review into Physical and Sport Education in Schools.
Moneghetti was not considered to be a good runner in primary school. Attempting to join little athletics his father was told that Moneghetti was not wanted. By high school (St Patrick's College, Ballarat), however, he had blossomed into an excellent endurance athlete and was well on his way to becoming one of Australia's greatest marathon runners.
He is married to Tanya Moneghetti and they have four children Emma, Laura, Jasper and Olivia.
He started out as a 10,000 metre runner and finished fifth in that event at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
. He ran his first marathon
at the same meet winning the bronze medal. His first marathon victory was in Berlin
in 1990 in the time of 2:08:16. In 1991 he set the course record of 40:03 for Sydney's iconic 14 km City 2 Surf, which still stands. In 1994 he won the Tokyo Marathon
and the marathon at the Commonwealth Games
. He came 3rd in the 1997 World Championships
marathon race. He has also competed in the marathon at four Olympic Games; 2000 in Sydney, 1996 in Atlanta
, 1992 in Barcelona and 1988 in Seoul. His best performance in the Olympics was 5th place at Seoul in 1988.
Moneghetti's last race representing Australia was the Sydney 2000 Olympic Marathon. After meeting trouble in the middle of the race he recovered to finish 10th. In the interview after the race, he thanked Australia for its support during his long career.
Moneghetti continued to race for fun in other events in Australia such as the City to Surf and Sydney and Melbourne Marathons on an infrequent basis. On 25 July 2010, Moneghetti won the Park2Park 10 km race at Ipswich in Queensland, finishing with a race record time of 32:18.
He lit the cauldron in his hometown of Ballarat to celebrate the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
. He was the Mayor of the Commonwealth Games Village at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games
in 2006.
In 2010 he was named as the Australian team's chief de mission for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Moneghetti's heritage can be traced to Swiss Italians of Australia
.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n long-distance runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
. Moneghetti has a degree in civil engineering, a graduate diploma in education and an honorary doctorate from the University of Ballarat
University of Ballarat
The University of Ballarat is a dual-sector university in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. It was formed by the passage of an Act of the Victorian Parliament in 1994, from the Ballarat College of Advanced Education...
. He is a personal development consultant with the Ministry of Education and chair of the Victorian Review into Physical and Sport Education in Schools.
Moneghetti was not considered to be a good runner in primary school. Attempting to join little athletics his father was told that Moneghetti was not wanted. By high school (St Patrick's College, Ballarat), however, he had blossomed into an excellent endurance athlete and was well on his way to becoming one of Australia's greatest marathon runners.
He is married to Tanya Moneghetti and they have four children Emma, Laura, Jasper and Olivia.
He started out as a 10,000 metre runner and finished fifth in that event at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
. He ran his first 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...
at the same meet winning the bronze medal. His first marathon victory was in Berlin
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
in 1990 in the time of 2:08:16. In 1991 he set the course record of 40:03 for Sydney's iconic 14 km City 2 Surf, which still stands. In 1994 he won the Tokyo Marathon
Tokyo Marathon
The Tokyo International Marathon was a marathon for male elite runners held in Tokyo, Japan, from 1980 until 2006.It actually consisted of two marathons - the Tokyo International Marathon which took place on even years, and Tokyo-New York Friendship International Marathon which took place on odd...
and the marathon at the Commonwealth Games
1994 Commonwealth Games
The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held in Victoria, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 18 August to 28 August 1994.The XV Commonwealth Games marked South Africa's return to the Commonwealth Games following the apartheid era, and over 30 years since the country last competed in the...
. He came 3rd in the 1997 World Championships
1997 World Championships in Athletics
The 6th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between August 1 and August 10, 1997. In this event participated 1882 athletes from 198 participant nations...
marathon race. He has also competed in the marathon at four Olympic Games; 2000 in Sydney, 1996 in Atlanta
Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon
The Men's Marathon at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia was held on Sunday August 4, 1996. The race started at 07.05h local time to avoid excessively hot and humid conditions...
, 1992 in Barcelona and 1988 in Seoul. His best performance in the Olympics was 5th place at Seoul in 1988.
Moneghetti's last race representing Australia was the Sydney 2000 Olympic Marathon. After meeting trouble in the middle of the race he recovered to finish 10th. In the interview after the race, he thanked Australia for its support during his long career.
Moneghetti continued to race for fun in other events in Australia such as the City to Surf and Sydney and Melbourne Marathons on an infrequent basis. On 25 July 2010, Moneghetti won the Park2Park 10 km race at Ipswich in Queensland, finishing with a race record time of 32:18.
He lit the cauldron in his hometown of Ballarat to celebrate the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. He was the Mayor of the Commonwealth Games Village at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in 2006.
In 2010 he was named as the Australian team's chief de mission for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Moneghetti's heritage can be traced to Swiss Italians of Australia
Swiss Italians of Australia
Swiss Italians of Australia, are Italian speaking Swiss that settled in Australia during the 1850s and 1860s. The Swiss Italians initially settled in the area around Daylesford, Victoria...
.