Lamberto Milani Memorial

A memorial in honor of a champion

The Lamberto Milani Memorial is a day of sport through which the Municipality of Sermoneta, in the province of Latina, honors the memory of its most famous citizen in the world of running. Part of the Sermoneta Summer Events program, the memorial ideally closes the summer season of the Lepini village, transforming the municipal sports center on Via Le Prate — which bears the champion's name — into a small athletics village for runners, families, and young people.

Who was Lamberto Milani

Nicknamed the "Abebe Bikila of Sermoneta," Lamberto Milani (1944-2000) was a pioneer of ultramarathon running in Italy, capable of feats that still leave people in disbelief today. He is credited with four world records over ultra-long distances: the Sermoneta-Padua-Milan run in 1984, the legendary Latina-Paris run in 1985 — covering approximately 2,300 kilometers and earning him a place in the Guinness World Records —, the Palermo-Stelvio-Assisi run in 1986 (4,275 kilometers), and, in 1987, the thousand-mile record: 1,700 kilometers covered between July 31 and August 16 at an average of over 100 kilometers per day, snatching the record from the New Zealander Sigfried Bauer. For his achievements, he was received twice in private audience by Pope John Paul II. Milani, who ran alone along the Pontine roads, inspiring an entire generation of local runners, passed away in 2000 at the age of 56 following an accident.

The sports center that bears his name

The municipal administration wanted to forever link Milani's name to Sermoneta's sports scene by naming the municipal sports center on Via Le Prate, formerly the "Le Prate" field, after him. The ceremony, strongly supported by Mayor Giuseppina Giovannoli, was intended to show younger generations "a champion who remained in everyone's heart." This is where the memorial day is centered, with its athletics track and renovated facilities providing the backdrop.

The memorial day

The heart of the event is the race: the memory of Milani is combined with Sermoneta's traditional September road race, the Madonna della Vittoria Trophy, a 10-kilometer flat course race through the hamlets of Monticchio and Pontenuovo that kicks off the UISP Grande Slam of Latina circuit and awards a prize in memory of the champion. Alongside the main race, the day reserves plenty of space for the little ones, with athletic games for children and teenagers — sprints, hurdles, jumps, and throws — open to all, in the popular and inclusive spirit that Milani embodied. Refreshments, a pasta party, and award ceremonies complete the village festival atmosphere.

Sermoneta, a village between sport and history

The memorial is also an opportunity to discover Sermoneta, one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Lazio: the Caetani Castle, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, and the stone alleys overlook the Pontine plain from above, just a few kilometers from the Garden of Ninfa. The run in memory of Milani thus fits into the rich September calendar of Sermoneta, alongside food and wine festivals and the historic San Michele Fair.