On Sunday, Italy’s Mario Bollini had the honour of being the final finisher at the TCS New York City Marathon, crossing the line in 10 hours, 1 minute and 47 seconds; it was his 37th time completing the race. The 74-year-old has only missed one edition since 1985.
Upon crossing the line, the Italian was greeted with a medal and an embrace from a volunteer, with cheers erupting from the crowd. The former air force marshal had been determined to run the race after recovering from a knee injury earlier this year.
Bollini, nicknamed Super Mario, was born in Giulianova, Italy in 1950. He first began competing at the NYC event at 35, when there were fewer than 16,000 participants. His personal best over the 42.2K distance stands at three hours flat, which he ran 1989’s NYC Marathon at age 39.
Tra gli ultimi arrivati alla maratona di New York c’è anche Mario Bollini, 74 anni ed ex maresciallo dell’aeronautica, tesserato nell’A.P.D. Ecologica “G” di Giulianova (Teramo). pic.twitter.com/by5BaUKnWv
— Giulia Ficicchia (@handlecuriosity) November 4, 2024
“It is an exciting marathon,” he tells media, explaining why he continues to return to New York City each year. “Very different from the others, with people cheering you on when you pass and making you feel like a champion. And then there’s an incredible party.”
