The first day of the Italian Absolute Indoor Championships reserves the two walking races on the traditional distances of the 3.000m indoor women and the 5.000m indoor men
3.0000m indoor women
Given the parterre of entries, there was no doubt that the title would go to Valentina Trapletti.
The unknown was only the performance she would get.
She is starting on the pace of 4:23.3/km, and the gap with the other athletes is already evident.
In second position is Lidia Barcella (ITA).
Valentina Trapletti, however, forces the pace during the second 1,000m covered in 8:39.5 (4:16.2 the 1,000m seconds)
The last 1,000m are even faster for the Lombard athlete (4:14.11) who wins the race and the indoor title in 12:53.61
Second place to Lidia Barcella (ITA) in 13:40.13
Third place to Ilaria Camilla Galli (ITA) in 14:02.90
Eight athletes took part in the race and all of them completed it.
5.000m indoor men
The men's race also had a designated winner: Francesco Fortunato.
But in this race it was very interesting to see the reactions of Fortunato and Leonardo Dei Tos, the first who usually competes on the 20km, the second who instead tries to qualify at a high level in the 50km.
Their personal bests are:
- Francesco Fortunato: 18:47.63 obtained in Ancona on 16.2.2019
- Leonardo Dei Tos: 19:16.34 obtained in Padua on 21.2.2015.
Immediately at the start Francesco Fortunato goeas to lead with his fluid and fast pace and takes off all the others
These are his splits every 1,000m:
In second place are Leonardo Dei Tos and Jose Manuel Perez Rubio (ESP), a young and handsome Spanish walker who wanted to try an indoor race in Italy, thus enriching the parterre of starters.
Jury interventions begin shortly before 3,000m. Subsequently, in a short period of time, one after the other, all three bearers of the Firenze Marathon, Ettore Grillo (ITA), Niccolò Coppini (ITA) and Andrea Cosi (ITA) will suffer the same fate: DQ.
In the head the situation is always the same:
Fortunato split to 3,000m is 11:29.5 (3:47.2)
Jose Manuel Perez Rubio (ESP) and Leonardo Dei Tos follow him: both show a nice technical gesture, and this at least makes you extremely happy.
At 4,000m Francesco Fortunato passes in 15:13.0 (3:43.5).
In the meantime, behind him Leonardo Dei Tos has gained ten meters on the Spanish who, among other things, is reached and followed by a strong-willed Aldo Andrei (ITA).
Last 1.000m covered by Francesco Fortunato (ITA) in 3:37:22.
His victory is clocked: 18:50.22, by a breath above the personal best.
Second place to Leonardo Dei Tos (ITA) in 19:44.62
Third at the finish is Jose Manuel Perez Rubio (ESP) in 120:46.08 (he has a personal best on the outdood distance of 20:11.88, established in Elche, ESP on 28.4.2018).
The bronze of the Italian Championships goes to Aldo Andrei (ITA) in 20:46.90.
He obtains, however, in a new personal best: previous of 20:59.49 obtained in Ancona on the occasion of the U20 Italian Championships last 8.2.2020.
There is still time for just one athlete: Nicola Lomuscio (ITA) who last week had already won the Italian U18 title here in Ancona and who today, with his fourth place, gets his personal best, but above all the Italian best performance U18 boys in 20:54.38.
It is known that the records are made to be beaten, and therefore having broken it should not be surprising, but this on the 5.000m indoor belonged to one of the best known names of the Italian race walk and it had lasted 35 years and 20 days. It had been established in Genoa on 2.2.1985 and belonged to Giovanni de Benedictis.
(Photos by Giancarlo Colombo per Fidal)