Stefano Malinverni

Stefano Malinverni was one of the best 400 metre sprinters Italy ever produced. Born in Milano, he grew up under the guidance of Roberto Vanzillotta at the Sesto San Giovanni track.

Malinverni began his sporting activity with the local club before moving to Fiat Iveco Torino, then Fiamme Oro Padova military group, and finally to Milano’s Pro Patria. He joined the Italian national youth team in 1976 and the following year became a regular on the senior squad for almost ten years.

At the 1980 Moskva Olympics, Malinverni was linked with one of the most important moments in Italian athletics. He ran the first leg of the 4x400 relay. They went on to win the bronze medal after setting the Italian record in the heats. In the final, with Pietro Mennea running the last leg, Italy obtained an unexpected third place, beating France for bronze by half-a-second.

Malinverni was also a relay finalist at the 1978 Praha European Championships (seventh) and was fifth at the inaugural World Championships at Helsinki in 1983. He also enjoyed two podium finishes at European Championships (1979 Vienna and 1981 Grenoble). Malinverni also won 36 international caps between 1977-86.

Nationally, Malinverni won the 400 metres title in three consecutive years 1978-80. He twice set the Italian 600m record in 1980, which stood until Donato Sabia lowered it at San Diego in July 1984 prior to the Los Angeles Olympics.

After his competitive career, Malinverni decided not to become a coach but, with his wife Susy Montanari, founded a gym in Milano where he began activity as a physiotherapist. He would later suffer a degenerative disease, and passed away in June 2024 aged just 65.

Personal Best: 400 – 46.09 (1981).