Romeo Bertini

Romeo Bertini was born in Gessate, near Milano. He made his marathon début in 1913 with a time under 3 hours, but did not run another marathon until the 1924 Olympic Italian trial race on a short course (37 Km.), where he placed second. The Paris Olympic race was only his third marathon. It was run on a hot day, with the Finn Albin Stenroos winning his only career marathon, followed by Bertini, who took the silver medal.

Bertini’s excellent fitness provided him with a very successful fall racing season. He won the national marathon championships at Firenze on September and one month later entered the Torino marathon. He was never again able to recapture that level of fitness and did not finish the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic marathon. The sports center in his home city of Gessate is named in his honour.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-47:20 (1924).