Federico Bruno, the versatile cross-country skier who enthuses Argentine athletics: “I feel I can give more”

He will turn 30 on June 18 and has established himself as one of the best Argentine athletes of recent times and arguably the best middle-distance runner in history. However, while Federico Bruno enjoys an optimal moment of results and grades, he also feels that he still has a very large field to cover in his sport.

“Now I’m back from indoor racing in Europe and I’m very happy. Not only for having achieved my goals, but for the trust they give me for outdoor competitions”says the athlete, who lives in Concordia.

On January 25, in Valencia, he won the 3,000 pots in 7m.47s.21 and broke a South American record that had been in force for three decades, since it had been set by the Colombian Germán Navarrete also on Spanish courses with 7m .49s.46 in 1991. A few days later, in an international tournament in Miramas (France), Bruno maintained a high level, finishing second with 7m.50s.63. “The Valencia race was almost ideal, even if in the last kilometre, without the ‘hare’, I was very alone, but with all the determination to look for the best possible brand,” he says. Bruno already accumulates valuable experience in “indoor” events, where he has already participated in two world championships and where, during last winter’s tour, he also twice improved the South American record of 1,500 meters with 3m.39s.09 in Valencia and 3m .38s.03 in Sabadell.

It’s a true “multipurpose” since she has showcased herself on both indoor and outdoor, conventional tracks and has begun to successfully venture into long races, road or street. And although he is a specialist in middle-distance running at distances from 1,500 to 5,000 metres, he is already planning a future for longer distances.

“Last year, after that indoor tour, everything got complicated, unexpectedly, due to a virus when he was about to compete in the Ibero-American championship in Alicante. At first we thought it might be covid, but then it was something else, which forced me to stop for several weeks. I missed that championship and, in any case, once I resumed training everything worked very well, it was an almost ideal season and It gives me the idea of ​​what I have planned this year and how to do it“, accounts.

That comeback was brilliant with the 21k in Buenos Aires at the end of August. Behind the “African Legion”, Bruno was the best of the Argentines and his mark of 1 hour, 2 minutes and 10 seconds is the second best in the history of our athletes, surpassed only by the record held by Antonio Silio – a distance specialist – for three decades. Two months later, in the hot and humid climate of Asunción, Bruno was one of the figures of the Argentine team that successfully performed at the Odesur Games. There he won in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters dash, his favorite distances of his. And he completed the cycle by winning the 10k San Isidro / National Championship for the third time in a row, beating the favorite Ethiopian Djerba (winner of that 21k) and the best specially invited South American distance runners. Despite the torrid heat, that December morning Bruno scored 28m.23, which is also the second in the history of Argentine athletics, where Silio holds the record.

“Although I’m not yet a specialist in that distance, I like to do it when I have the time and the opportunity. That day, the weather influenced a lot. If the conditions are right, sooner or later I’ll try that record.”, promises. A few moments after the test, Bruno received a message from Silio himself – from Entre Ríos like him, but from Nogoyá – who encouraged him in his goals.

Bruno had appeared as a great project of Argentine athletics more than a decade ago, monopolizing middle-distance titles and records in the youth categories. He was also a finalist at the 2012 Junior World Championship in Barcelona. Between his formidable physical qualities and his courageous spirit, which was already seen in those early days even against the older ones, he had the destiny to be an excellent middle distance runner. In 2016 he was surprised when, given the possibility of reaching the Rio Olympics, he opted for the marathon (at that time, ranking marks over that distance were more accessible than in track events). He reached that goal (2h.15m.40 in Hamburg) and was able to participate in the Games, even if in very difficult conditions and only his immense will allowed him to complete the hard and exhausting journey. Running a marathon was left, so, for another time if it happens. Fortunately and gradually, Bruno returned to his true specialty, the midfielder. And there he was consolidated.

After several attempts – since 2011 he had “cherished” the gold medal in the 1,500m – at the 2017 South American Championship in Asunción, he conquered that distance. And it was Argentina’s first triumph in more than six decades, since Nilo Riveros triumphed at the River stadium in 1952, in the race in which Osvaldo Suárez made his international debut and finished sixth. From that moment on, with more adequate planning and training, focused on those distances and adding international experience, Bruno established himself as the best middle-distance runner in the history of our country, as well as illuminating a path in which they are flourishing – as never before – several young players of excellent condition (José Zabala, Diego Lacamoire and “Nacho” Erario, among them).

He has already broken the Argentine record for the classic distance in midfield, the 1,500 metres, four times and placed it at 3m.36s.18, two years ago in Castellón. In total, he ran eleven times under 3m.40s. and “I feel like I can still improve a lot more.” He tackled another long-standing event for middle-distance runners like the mile and became the first Argentinian to run under 4 minutes, clocking 3m.59s.27 in his hometown on March 31, 2021. In the other outdoor events he is among the best Argentines in history and the best South Americans today as 7m.54s.34 in the 3,000 meters (2015) and 13m.31s.42 in the 5,000m (2019) record which, according to his recent foray into the indoor track, can certainly be improved.

“My big dream this year is to win medals at the Pan American Games in Chile in October. I point to it. I was close to Lima and now I’m confident I’ll make it. That’s why my project is to arrive well prepared for those Games ”she anticipates. That plan provides for not doing the summer European tour for the 1,500m races: “Between the road trips and the continuous races there is wear and tear. I prefer to arrive with few races and fresh, but ready for that date. And in Concordia I train well, I have everything I need, the track for fast work and other good roads when I need to add volume, kilometres”.

Bruno has an important appointment on April 21st: the Payton Jordan Invitational meeting in one of the “temples” of American athletics, the Stanford University stadium in California. There he will try to achieve his best score in the 5,000m. “If the weather is good, everything will be there. Many important rivals, hares, the atmosphere of the place. I already had a good experience racing in the US. If I can cover the three kilometers in 8 minutes, I will arrive with enough energy to finish. I dream of an important brand”. Then the commitments of the region will arrive (national and South American competitions) and in August the 21k in Buenos Aires. Why not try the World Cup in Budapest? “Not this year, from what I was saying… I want to get to the Pan American Games with just a few races, and if I go to the World Championships I should be very lucky to get to the maximum in the semifinal… On the other hand, I can run the 21k more relaxed, without pressure , I go at a pace that doesn’t cause me any stress. And then I focus on specific preparation for the Games”.

Your best grades

Free track 800 1: 49.98 Mar del Plata 22.04.2013 1.000 2: 23.33 ESP SARGOZZA 12.06.2013 1,500 3: 36.18 Castellón ESP 29.06.2021 Argentine Record Miglio 3: 59.27 Concordia 31.03.2021 Argentine Record 20080.2020 5,20.21 Concordia 7: 54.34 Buenos Aires 27.03.2015 5.000 13: 31.42 US Torrances 19.04.2019 10.000 29: 44.87 Rosario 27.04.2014 Cover sheet 1.500 3: 38.03 Sabadell Esp 08.02.2022 South America 2,000 5: 09.61 Bordeaux between 26.01.013 7.03 SABADELL ESP 08.02. 2022 South America 2.000 5:09.61 Bordeaux FRA 26.01.013 7.03 7. :47.21 Valencia ESP 25.01.2023 South American Record Road / Course 10km 28:23 San Isidro 27.11.2022 2nd in Argentine Record 15km 44:24 Buenos Aires 21.08 .2022 21 km 1:02.10 Buenos Aires 21.08.2022 2nd of the Argentinian record Marathon 2,:15:40 Hamburg GER 17.04.2016