The Greek 20km Championships took place in Patras (GRE) on the morning of Sunday 9 August 2020 at 7:30am. The event was originally scheduled for April 4 and later postponed.
The morning was very favorable for the walkers on a day that could easily be compared to an autumn day.
20km men
Nine athletes at the start, of which six completed the race, 1 DNF and 2 DQ.
Alexandros Papamichael (AO Mykonos) took his eleventh victory in the Greek Championship after being the first to cross the finish line in 1:28:36.
Papamicmichael as an expert walker walked a race that for him could have seemed little more than a training, considering that his personal best is over 7 minutes lower.
His words after the race:
“Unfortunately, as you can imagine, this season, there were no reasons. My goal was to stay alert during the season. Now I will rest for a few days and then I will go back to training to be ready to return to winter competitions. From now on, I will turn my attention exclusively to the 50km walk ".
Second place to Costas Dentopoulos (Olympiada Patras) in 1:34:13
Third place went to Anthimos Kelepouris (OKA Veria) with 1:36:08.
20km women
Six athletes at the start, of which four completed the race and 2 DNF.
Victory to Antigoni Drisbioti (ASS Alexandros Makedonias) who did not have and had no problems finishing in 1:34:00.
Her words after the race:
"I am very satisfied despite everything with how the season went. Today was a training race, but it was nice that this year our match coincided with the Panhellenic championship. Now I will take a vacation and then I will start preparing again. for the Olympic Games. I don't have the pressure of the result, since I already have the limit for Tokyo, so I don't know if I will compete again in 2020".
Second place to Dimitra Bochori (OKA Veria) in 1:37:38, a performance that is her personal best. The athlete's previous personal best dates back to last year when in Mielec (POL) on 22.6.2019 he stopped the clock in 1:42:48.
Third place to Angeliki Makri (Olympiada Patras) in 1:43:53.
Olga Fiaska (Mytilene Athletics) was unable to finish her race, feeling uncomfortable with stomach problems and chose to stop at the eighth kilometer.
(photos: Zoe Gkini, GRE)