This morning at 6:30 in China (in the European night) the 50km of the China Autumn Walking Championships took place.
Interesting number of entries (41) to which another 16 participants in the 30km U20 were added.
The course is set up on Shilahe Road in the Taishan Mountain West Lake Scenic Area. Each lap is 2 kilometers. This event took place in the context of the normalization of epidemic prevention and control. The organizing committee of the event held several meetings to deploy the epidemic prevention and control work of the event and took a number of measures to increase the prevention and control of the stadium and hotels. Nucleic acid was tested twice and equipped. Epidemic prevention and control experts and medical personnel moved, opened a green channel and formulated emergency measures to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the event.
50km men
Of the 41 entered athletes only 37 were those who showed up at the start.
As many as 18 then abandoned the race and 3 were disqualified and so only 16 completed the race.
It is important to note that only three athletes who broke the classic wall of the 4 hours of competition and frankly we expected better.
Victory to Zhaxi Yangben (CHN) a new name for the Qinghai province in central China
Qinghai which, however, boasts a personal best of 3:49:42 on the 50km obtained in Huangshan (CHN) last year on 9.3.2019. Today this athlete born on April 15, 1996 stopped the clock in 3:52:19
Second place to Wang Rui (CHN), home athlete from Shandong who trains in Italy in Saluzzo and boasts a personal best of 3:42:08 obtained in Huangshan (CHN) last year on 9.3.2019. Today Wang Rui contented himself with a 3:55:48
Third place for Gong Fanglong (CHN) from Yunnan (born on 12.7.1998) who finished his 50km in 3:59:01 setting the new personal best and dropping for the first time under 4 hours. The previous personal best dates back to 7.9.2019 when in Leshan (CHN) he stopped the clock in 4:00:48 on his third 50km.
30km U20 men
Victory to Li Jinpeng (CHN) from Guangdong Province in 2:18:31
Second place to Wang Zhenhao (CHN) from Shanxi Province in 2:19:00
Third place to Chen Weihao from Anhui Province in 2:21:03
Fourth place after a fight on the edge of the seconds to He Zhanxu of Liaoning in 2:21:08
20km women
If there has ever been a spectacular race in the women's walk, today's one deserves the Golden Lion of Venice.
Very hot day, compared to yesterday's temperature, today the increase was significant given that we are at 33°C, and the humidity is also high.
The athletes started quickly enough with six of them leading the pack: Yang Jiayu, Liu Hong, Qieyang Shenjie, Yang Liujing, Lu Xiuzhi, and Ni Yuanyuan. A few meters away Liang Rui.
Just before the 4km Yang Jiayu, who obviously wants to make a selection and try to win over Liu Hong, forces the pace and earns about 15”.
Liu Hong, Qieyang Shenjie, Yang Liujing fare behind her. A little further away Lu Xiuzhi and Liang Rui.
The 2017 London World Champion continues in the lead in both the 5km and the following 6km.
At 6km at a dozen seconds followed by Liu Hong, Yang Liujing at about 10" and Qieyang Shenjie at about 20"
The race continues like this up to 10km and half of the next round.
Towards 13km when Yang Jiayu begins to really savor dreams of victory, the holder of the two world records in the 20km and 50km decides it is time to impose her class.
Because of real class it is a question of reaching Yang Juayu in a lap and a half, who was not really still.
The two continue like this until almost 15km when Liu Hong decides to extinguish Yang Jiayu's remaining dreams by her magic wand. In half a lap he earns about 15” which she will keep until the end
Victory for Liu Hong (CHN) once again beautiful to see in CCTV5 with a textbook technical gesture, in a time that is normal for her (1:27:48), but which considering the stop due to Covid-19 and today's temperature says a lot about the fact that whoever wants to compete with her for the win in Sapporo will have to fight beyond all limits.
Below her split times lap per lap:
1st lap: 8:56
2nd lap: 8:50
3rd lap: 8:51
4th lap: 8:46
5th lap: 8:51
6th lap: 8:45
7th lap: 8:42
8th lap: 8:45
9th lap: 8:43
10th lap: 8:34
Second place to Yang Jiayu (CHN) in 1:28:04
Third place to Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) in 1:28:27
Fourth place to Ni Yuanyuan (CHN) in 1: 3056, just in front of Yang Liujing (suffering in the final race) cleared fifth in 1:31:00.
Sixth place to Liu Xiuzhi (CHN) in 1:32:31
Seventh place to Liang Rui (CHN) in 1:33:15
Eighth place to Bai Tiantian (CHN) in 1:33:20
Below is the updated list 2020 of the top 10 performances in the world on women's 20km road walk