European marathon silver medalist Pietro Riva finished third at the 33rd Memorial Peppe Greco in Scicli, Sicily, clocking 29:38 on wet historic cobblestones. Eritrean athlete Dawit Seare secured victory in 29:08, following his recent world title win in the 5 km event in Copenhagen, while Kenyan competitor Kelvin Kariuki Gachaga took second place in 29:31.
Rain-Slicked Cobblestones and Tactical Shifts in Scicli
The 33rd edition of the Memorial Peppe Greco returned to its original home in the historic center of Scicli, Ragusa, after spending the previous seven years as an itinerant event in Modica during 2024 and Vittoria in 2025. Dawit Seare made his decisive tactical move at the eighth kilometer, pulling away from the pack to seal the win just a week after capturing the 5 km world title in Copenhagen.
Kelvin Kariuki Gachaga crossed the finish line twenty-three seconds behind Seare, securing the runner-up position. Pietro Riva, competing in his first race since winning the European marathon silver medal in Birmingham, battled through physical setbacks to salvage a podium finish for the Fiamme Oro team. Giuseppe Gerratana of Aeronautica rounded out the top placings for the Italian contingent by taking fifth place with a time of 29:54.
Athlete Reflections and Pre-Race Honors
Pietro Riva expressed mixed feelings regarding his performance on the Sicilian course. “I expected to do better and managed at least to defend the podium, but I had a stomach problem and could have been further forward,” Riva stated after the race.
Before the start of the 10-kilometer race, FIDAL President Stefano Mei delivered a welcome greeting via telephone to participants and spectators. Earlier in the day, official ceremonies at Palazzo Spadaro featured the granting of honorary citizenship of Scicli to two past champions of the event: Kenyan standout Paul Tergat and Olympic marathoner Stefano Baldini. European champion Nadia Battocletti attended the morning events serving as the official godmother of the sports manifestation.
Parallel 5 KM Battles at the Memorial Bruno Lolli
While the elite men contested the historic streets of Ragusa, concurrent action unfolded at the sixth edition of the Memorial Bruno Lolli in Zola Predosa, Bologna. In the women’s 5-kilometer event, Eritrean athlete Rahel Daniel claimed victory by crossing the line in 15:29.
Italian runners chased the lead group closely, with Elisa Palmero of the Esercito finishing second in 15:50, while Rebecca Lonedo of Fiamme Oro secured third place in 15:55. Junior competitor Sofia Ferrari of Calcestruzzi Corradini Excelsior delivered a strong performance to finish fifth overall with a time of 16:10. In the corresponding men’s 5 km race at Zola Predosa, Kenyan runner Linus Njuguna took the top spot in 13:55, followed closely by Giuseppe Gravante of Corradini at 13:57 and promise Stefano Benzoni of Atletica Valle Brembana at 13:59.
