In these months in which Covid-19 changed our days of life, we took the liberty of stimulating the historical and statistical memory of Sandro Damilano by proposing an analysis of the continuity (constancy of results) of a single athlete over a period of time and then comparing it to his personal best.
Analysis methodology
1) With this aim, the best athletes from 1980 to 2020 who have obtained at least 10 performances have been taken into consideration.
2) In addition to the general standing Sandro Damilano then proposed us the rankings by decade (1980/1990 - 1990/2000 2000/2010 - 2010/2020)
3) The ranking on the average of the 10 best performances of each individual athlete gives us the representation of the regularity and consistency of results that this athlete has obtained.
It is an important fact to understand the continuity with which this walker has expressed himself over time.
4) The difference, in seconds, between the personal best and the average of the 10 results indicates instead how much the athlete has always been able to express himself at his maximum levels.
Only those athletes who have an average lower than 1:20:00 were taken into consideration.
The athlete with the best differential is Mikhail Schennikov (RUS) with only 30" difference between the average of the 10 results and his best time.
Then we find Cai Zelin, CHN (38") and then Robert Korzeniowski, POL (42")
5) In the ranking there are no important walkers who have won or placed in the big competitions (Olympics, World Championships, Team World Championships and Area Championships).
In some cases, for these athletes, we have not been able to know at least 10 results.
In other cases, it is in particular athletes who have recently entered the international limelight, and who have not yet played 10 races.
6) In the total ranking concerned, note that in the first 10 athletes only 3 are athletes of the last decade, even if it is the decade with the largest number of athletes with a time less than 1:20:00. The others are all athletes who competed in the decade 2000/2010.
7) out of the 120 athletes taken into consideration (with averages below 1:23:30) 27 walkers have an average below 1:20:00 (22,5%)
Under this time we find:
- 0 walkers in the decade 1980/1990;
- 6 walkers between 1990/2000;
- 8 walkers between 2000/2010 and
- 13 walkers in the last decade (2010/2020).
General ranking (first 27 athletes with results below 1:20:00)
12 Nations (5 Areas, 5 Continents) are represented as follows:
- China (6);
- Russia (5);
- Japan (4);
- Spain (2)
- Mexico (2);
- Australia (2);
- 1 athlete each for Ecuador; Poland; Belarus; France; Germany and Latvia.
There are, in these first 27 athletes, 4 Olympic Champions and 9 World Champions (including Korzeniowski and Pérez winners of both events).
| N° | Athletes | Nat. | Average 10 best results | P.B. | Year | Difference P.B - Average |
| 1 | Fernández Francisco | Esp | 1:18:23 | 1:17:22 | 2002 | 61” |
| 2 | Suzuki | Jpn | 1:18:39 | 1:16:36 | 2015 | 123” |
| 3 | Takahashi | Jpn | 1:18:52 | 1:17:16 | 2018 | 96” |
| 4 | Wang Zhen | Chn | 1:18:50 | 1:17:36 | 2012 | 74” |
| 5 | Markov | Rus | 1:18:50 | 1:18:17 | 2005 | 43” |
| 6 | Andreev | Rus | 1:18:54 | 1:18:16 | 2000 | 48” |
| 7 | Pėrez Jefferson | Ecu | 1:19:00 | 1:17:21 | 2003 | 99” |
| 8 | Korzeniowski | Pol | 1:19:04 | 1:18:22 | 2000 | 42” |
| 9 | Schennikov | Rus | 1:19:06 | 1:18:36 | 1996 | 30” |
| 10 | Misyulya | Blr | 1:19:08 | 1:18:18 | 1996 | 50” |
| 11 | Deakes | Aus | 1:19:10 | 1:17:33 | 2005 | 97” |
| 12 | Cai Zelin | Chn | 1:19:25 | 1:18:47 | 2012 | 38” |
| 13 | Han Yucheng | Chn | 1:19:26 | 1:18:31 | 2005 | 55” |
| 14 | Chen Ding | Chn | 1:19:29 | 1:17:40 | 2012 | 109” |
| 15 | Segura | Mex | 1:19:34 | 1:17:25 | 1994 | 111” |
| 16 | Sánchez Eder | Mex | 1:19:39 | 1:18:34 | 2008 | 65” |
| 17 | Diniz | Fra | 1:19:44 | 1:17:02 | 2015 | 162” |
| 18 | Linke | Ger | 1:19:44 | 1:18:42 | 2019 | 62” |
| 19 | Yamanishi | Jpn | 1:19:45 | 1:17:15 | 2019 | 150” |
| 20 | Rasskazov | Rus | 1:19:50 | 1:17:44 | 2000 | 114” |
| 21 | López M.A. | Esp | 1:19:53 | 1:19:14 | 2015 | 39” |
| 22 | Wang Kaihua | Chn | 1:19:54 | 1:17:54 | 2017 | 120” |
| 23 | Tallent | Aus | 1:19:54 | 1:19:15 | 2010 | 39” |
| 24 | Matsunaga | Jpn | 1:19:58 | 1:17:56 | 2018 | 122” |
| 25 | Fadejevs | Lat | 1:19:59 | 1:19:25 | 2002 | 34” |
| 26 | Ruzavin | Rus | 1:19:59 | 1:17:45 | 2012 | 134” |
| 27 | Yu Chaohong | Chn | 1:20:00 | 1:18:30 | 2005 | 90” |
Ranking by decades (top 10 athletes with results below 1:20:00)
1980 - 1990
As many as 6 nations represented in the top 10 positions. 3 Continents present. Note the presence of 3 Slovaks athletes (then Czechoslovakia). In the first 10 we find 4 Olympic winners.
| N° | Athletes | Nat. | Average 10 best results | P.B. | Year | Difference P.B - Average |
| 1 | Canto | Mex | 1:20:12 | 1:18:40 | 1984 | 92” |
| 2 | Damilano M. | Ita | 1:20:16 | 1:18:54 | 1992 | 82” |
| 3 | A’Hern | Aus | 1:20:37 | 1:19:33 | 1990 | 64” |
| 4 | Pribilinec | Svk | 1:20:51 | 1:19:30 | 1983 | 81” |
| 5 | Blazek | Svk | 1:20:51 | 1:18:13 | 1990 | 158” |
| 6 | Noack | Ger | 1:20:54 | 1:19:12 | 1987 | 102” |
| 7 | Mostovich | Rus | 1:20:58 | 1:19:32 | 1987 | 96” |
| 8 | Mrazek | Svk | 1:21:15 | 1:20:21 | 1987 | 54” |
| 9 | Bautista | Mex | 1:21:19 | 1:18:49 | 1979 | 150” |
| 10 | Arena | Ita | 1:21:38 | 1:19:24 | 1990 | 134” |
1990 - 2000
Six athletes under 1:20:00 (22,2% of the total). Five nations and only 2 continents represented. During this period, the former school of the Soviet Union emerged as soon as it dissolved in various states. (3 Russians and 3 Belarusians in the top 10). No winner either of the Olympic Games or the World Cup in the top 10. Six athletes below 1:20:00.
| N° | Athletes | Nat. | Average 10 best results | P.B. | Year | Difference P.B - Average |
| 1 | Andreev | Rus | 1:18:54 | 1:18:16 | 2000 | 48” |
| 2 | Schennikov | Rus | 1:19:06 | 1:18:36 | 1996 | 30” |
| 3 | Misyulya | Blr | 1:19:08 | 1:18:18 | 1996 | 50” |
| 4 | Segura | Mex | 1:19:34 | 1:17:25 | 1994 | 111” |
| 5 | Rasskazov | Rus | 1:19:50 | 1:17:44 | 2000 | 114” |
| 6 | Fadejevs | Lat | 1:19:59 | 1:19:25 | 2002 | 34” |
| 7 | Lopez A. | Mex | 1:20:01 | 1:17:56 | 1999 | 125” |
| 8 | Khmelnitskiy | Blr | 1:20:07 | 1:18:14 | 2000 | 113” |
| 9 | Meleshkevich | Blr | 1:20:07 | 1:18:12 | 1997 | 115” |
| 10 | Erm | Ger | 1:20:11 | 1:18:42 | 2000 | 89” |
2000 - 2010
Eight Nations represented, four Continents. Two Olympic Champions; Four winners of the World Championships (including the 2 Olympic winners Pérez and Korzeniowski).
Eight athletes with an average less than/equal to 1:20:00
| N° | Athletes | Nat. | Average 10 best results | P.B. | Year | Difference P.B - Average |
| 1 | Fernández F. | Esp | 1:18:23 | 1:17:22 | 2002 | 61” |
| 2 | Markov | Rus | 1:18:50 | 1:18:17 | 2005 | 43” |
| 3 | Pėrez J. | Ecu | 1:19:00 | 1:17:21 | 2003 | 99” |
| 4 | Korzeniowski | Pol | 1:19:04 | 1:18:22 | 2000 | 42” |
| 5 | Deakes | Aus | 1:19:10 | 1:17:33 | 2005 | 97” |
| 6 | Han Yucheng | Chn | 1:19:26 | 1:18:31 | 2005 | 55” |
| 7 | Sánchez E. | Mex | 1:19:39 | 1:18:34 | 2008 | 65” |
| 8 | Yu Chaohong | Chn | 1:20:00 | 1:18:30 | 2005 | 90” |
| 9 | Molina | Esp | 1:20:20 | 1:19:19 | 2008 | 61” |
| 10 | Trotskiy | Blr | 1:20:22 | 1:19:40 | 2003 | 42” |
2010 - 2020
It is the decade of Asian domination with 7 athletes in the top 10 (4 Chinese and 3 Japanese).
Europe defends itself with three representatives (France; Germany and Spain). The first on the Oceania is in 11th place. The first on the American continent is 16th. We find the first on the African continent in 35th position.
In the first 10 there are 2 Olympic Champions (Chinese) and 4 world champions (2 Japanese; 1 Spanish and 1 French).
All have an average below 1:20:00
| N° | Athletes | Nat. | Average 10 best results | P.B. | Year | Difference P.B - Average |
| 1 | Suzuki | Jpn | 1:18:39 | 1:16:36 | 2015 | 123” |
| 2 | Takahashi | Jpn | 1:18:52 | 1:17:16 | 2018 | 96” |
| 3 | Wang Zhen | Chn | 1:18:50 | 1:17:36 | 2012 | 74” |
| 4 | Cai Zelin | Chn | 1:19:25 | 1:18:47 | 2012 | 38” |
| 5 | Chen Ding | Chn | 1:19:29 | 1:17:40 | 2012 | 109” |
| 6 | Diniz | Fra | 1:19:44 | 1:17:02 | 2015 | 162” |
| 7 | Linke | Ger | 1:19:44 | 1:18:42 | 2019 | 62” |
| 8 | Yamanishi | Jpn | 1:19:45 | 1:17:15 | 2019 | 150” |
| 9 | López M.A. | Esp | 1:19:53 | 1:19:14 | 2015 | 39” |
| 10 | Wang Kaihua | Chn | 1:19:54 | 1:17:54 | 2017 | 120” |
All full rankings in the Statitsics Section - 2020 or by clicking directly on this link: click here