Marcello Luigi Fiasconaro (born 19 July 1949) is an Italian-South African athlete, who set a world record in the 800 m in 1973.

After playing for the Villagers Rugby Club in Cape Town, he was selected for the Western Province under 20 team.

[1] In his second 400 m race at Stellenbosch University's Coetzenburg track, Fiasconaro beat the favourites, Springbok athletes Danie Malan and Donald Timm.

His feat attracted the attention of Italian discus thrower Carmelo Rado, who asked about Fiasconaro's citizenship.

[citation needed] But Banner and his charge concluded that Fiasconaro lacked the speed for the 400 m, and should concentrate on the 800 m instead.

In 1973 Fiasconaro broke the Italian 800 m record five times, and won the South African Championships over the same distance at Potchefstroom.

After leading for over 600 metres at a fast pace, he got tired and was passed by the surprise winner, Yugoslavia's Luciano Susanj.

[7] In 1974, Fiasconaro participated in 800 metres in the Sunkist Invitational Indoor Track Meet in Los Angeles.

The plan nearly backfired when Plachý managed to stay with Fiasconaro for most of the race, before finally falling back over the last 150 metres.

[13] After suffering from injuries which prevented him from participating in the Montreal Olympics in 1976, Fiasconaro returned to South Africa in 1978, where he married his girlfriend, Sally.