Steve Moneghetti

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Steve Moneghetti (born September 26, 1962 in the town of Ballarat, Victoria) is a long-distance runner from Australia, who was not considered to be a good runner in primary school as he never managed to win a single medal. Indeed when he went to join the little athletics his father was told that they didn't want his son coming here because he was a poor runner. By High School(St Ptricks College Ballarat) however, he had blossomed into a superb athlete and was well on his way to becoming one of Australia's greatest marathon runners.

He started out as a 10,000 metre runner and finished fifth in that event at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. He ran his first marathon at the same event winning the bronze medal. His first marathon victory was in Berlin in 1990 in the time of 2:08.16. In 1994 he won the Tokyo Marathon and the marathon at the Commonwealth Games. He came 3rd in the 1997 World Championships marathon race. He has also competed in the marathon at four Olympic Games; 2000 in Sydney, 1996 in Atlanta, 1992 in Barcelona and 1988 in Seoul. His best performance in the Olympics was 5th place at Seoul in 1988.

He lit the cauldron in his hometown of Ballarat to celebrate the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He was the Mayor of the Commonwealth Games Village at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.