The entry list of U23 European Championships in Gavle (SWE) from 11 July 2019 to 14 July 2019 has been published.
The two 20km events will take place on Sunday 14 July 2019 at the following times:
- 12:15 - 20km women
- 14:15 - 20km men
20km women
The entry list include 21 athletes representing eleven countries plus an ANA athlete (Neutral Authorized - from Russia).
And it is this last one, Yana Smerdova (ANA) to present herself with the best personal best on the distance (1:31:57) obtained in Sochi, RUS on Feb 19, 2018.
The seasonal leaders instead is Saskia Feige (GER) able this year of a good 1:30:40 obtained Naumburg (GER) on 13.4.2019 on the occasion of the German Championship of 20km.
Saskia Feige is therefore presented as a favorite, but above all she is focoused to cancel the bad test of Alytus, in the European Cup, where she was forced to retire.
Another candidate for the victory, or for a medal on the podium is Ayse Tekdal (TUR) who presents himself with a personal best and best time of the season of 1:32:01 obtained in Izmir (TUR) in 3.3.2019 and then almost repeated (1:32:04) in Podebrady (CZE) on 6.4.2019. However, she too must redeem the opaque race of Alytus where she arrived 22nd in 1:37:45.
Finally we see well for the podium Marina Pena (ESP) with a personal best and best time of the season of 1:34:15 obtained at the beginning of June in La Coruna where it arrived 27th.
The podium of the previous Championships in Bydgoszcz 2017 was the following:
1.- Klavdiya Afanasyeva (ANA): 1:31:15
2.- Maria Perez (ESP): 1:31:29
3.- Zivile Vaiciukeviciute (LTU): 1:32:21
20km men
The entry list include 20 athletes representing eleven countries plus an ANA athlete (Neutral Authorized - from Russia).
In this case it is the athlete from Russia who is the most favorite for the victory.
Vasiliy Mizinov (ANA) in fact has a personal best and best time of the season of 1:18:41 obtained in Sochi (RUS) on 18.2.2019, and with his second time ever (1:18:41) obtained with 5th place in La Coruna beginning of June.
For the other medals of the podium we expect a narrow struggle between:
- Callum Wilkinson (GBR) with a personal best and best time of the season of 1:21:34 obtained in Podebrady (CZE) on 6.4.2019.
- Salih Korkmaz (TUR) with a personal best and best time of the season of 1:21:37 obtained in Izmir (TUR) on 3.3.2019.
- Gabriel Bordier (FRA) with a personal best and best time of the season of 1:21:43 obtained in Alytus (LTU) on 05.5.2019.
Not to be excluded also Eduard Zabuzhenko (UKR) with a personal best and best time of the season of 1:22:16 obtained in Ivano-Frankivsk (UKR) on 24.3.2019 countryman Viktor Shumik (UKR) who has a personal best of 1 :22:24, but this year failed to do better than 1:24:13.
The podium of the previous Championships in Bydgoszcz 2017 was the following:
1.- Diego Garcia Carrera (ESP): 1:22:29
2.- Karl Junghannss (GER): 1:22:52
3.- Gabriel Bordier (FRA): 1:23:03