Paola Pigni

Paola Pigni (30 December 1945 – 11 June 2021) was an Italian middle- and long-distance runner. She was a three-time world champion in cross country and held the world record over five distance running events on the track, from 1,500m to 10,000m.

Pigni competed for her native country at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, where she won the bronze medal in the women's 1,500 m.

She was the winner of the France version of the 1970 International Cross Country Championships. She followed this up by winning the first two women's titles at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1973 and 1974.

In an era when the popularity of female middle distance running was increasing, Pigni established six world records (those recognized are signed with an asterisk).

She won 19 national championships at senior level.