Alfonso Orlando

Alfonso Orlando was born in Southern Italy in 1892 but moved at a young age with his family to Bergamo. He became a railroad booking clerk and began to run middle- and long-distances. In 1910, while only 18, Orlando ran the 10K in 34:00 and on 12 May 1912 at Milano set the national record with 32:57.2. At 20 he competed at the Stockholm Olympics where he finished fifth in the 10,000 metres. Nationally Orlando won three titles: two in the 5K (1911-12) and one in the 10K (1912).

After retiring from competition, Orlando in the 1940s-50s was a special commissioner of the Italian Athletics Federation and was also an actor. His brightest moment as an actor was in 1965 in the film “E venne un uomo by Ermanno Olmi” dedicated to the life of Pope John XXIII, with Rod Steiger as narrator.

Personal Bests: 5000 – 15:46.8 (1912); 10000 – 32:57.2 (1912).