Race walk weekend also in Brazil despite the pandemic.
The Brasil Cup took place in Braganca Paulista, which serves as a national individual and team championship and also as a qualification for the next Copa Panamericana.
20km men
The Brazilian Caio Bonfim (BRA) confirmed the favors of the eve and won the 10th consecutive title in the 20km race of the Copa Brasil de Marcha Atlética, held this Sunday morning (3/14), on a 1.000m circuit set in the parking lot of the Bragança Garden Shopping, in Bragança Paulista (SP).
The competition opened the 2021 Brazilian Athletics Confederation (CBAt) national calendar.
Qualified for the Tokyo-2021 Olympic Games, Caio completed the 20 laps of the circuit in 1:23:59 with one race in the lead from start to finish, with impressive regularity and an acceleration in the last quarter of the race. These are his split times every 5km:
- 5km: 21:14
- 10km: 42:18 (21:04)
- 15km: 1:03:18 (21:00)
- last 5km in 20:41
He dedicated the victory to his wife, Juliana, who is pregnant with his second child (she doesn't know the sex yet). The first is Miguel, who will soon be 2 years old.
“Despite all the difficulties we are experiencing in a pandemic era, it is very good to be a father again. Expecting the second child” said Caio Bonfim, who celebrated the title with two thumbs in his mouth, in a tribute to the children and his wife.
Second place to Matheus Gabriel Correa came very close to Bonfim, who finished in 1:24:43.
Third place to Lucas Mazzo in 1:31:22.
The three qualified for the Athletic March Pan-American Cup, scheduled for May 8 and 9 in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
“This was the Brazilian Cup in which I prepared the most. I've been training very well since December. Matheus' participation was important, he raised the level of competition in the race. Congratulations to Matheus. I've already been through that stage. If he continues at this rate, he will end up getting the standard entry for the Olympics. And it would be nice to have a teammate in Japan”, commented Caio, who will turn 30 on Friday (19/3).
He was bronze medalist in the 20km of the London-2017 World Championships, fourth place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and has two medals at the Pan American Games (bronze in Toronto-2015 and silver in Lima-2019).
As for the race, the champion classified the dispute as very difficult. “As much as we all know that Copa Brasil is a competition for placing and not for time, the race was not smooth. The circuit had many corners and did not allow for faster times,” said the athlete trained by his parents - João Sena and Gianetti Bonfim. “Even the heat is always an obstacle. The important thing is that it is another title for Sobradinho,” added Caio, referring to the city where he lives in the Federal District.
Below the updated season world list of 20km men:
20km women
In the women's 20km, Viviane Santana Lyra led the race from end to end and won with ease, with a time of 1:40:38. Sunday was her fourth Copa Brasil title (she had already won 20km, 35km and 50km).
These are her split times every 5km:
- 5km: 25:46
- 10km: 50:31 (24:45)
- 15km: 1:15:26 (24:55)
- last 5km in 25:12
"The goal was to qualify for the Pan-American Cup and I did it" said the athlete, who trains at the Brazilian Olympic Committee's Centro do Time Brasil, while the Rio Air Force runway is currently closed.
“It was my first race of the year and it helped to pick up pace. Now I see how I can improve, looking for the next competitions,” she said. "I chose to do 20km this season, aiming for the Olympic standard," concluded the 27-year-old athlete.
Second place to Emily Pistor (BRA) in 1:46:02.
Third place to Elianay Santana Barbosa (BRA) in 1:47:11 and both also qualified for the Pan-American Cup in Ecuador.
Below the updated season world list of 20km women:
50km men
In the 50km, Max Batista dos Santos (BRA) was the champion, securing a place in Guayaquil.
He completed 50 laps on the circuit in 4:22:16. Partials every 10km
- 10km: Rudney Dias Nogueira was in the lead in 51:39
- 20km: situation unchanged in 1:42:41 (51:02)
- 30km: Max Batista dos Santos takes the lead in 2:23:48 (51:07)
- 40km: situation unchanged in 3:26:49 (53:01)
- last 10km in 55:27
Second place to José Alessandro Bagio (BRA) in 4:34:06
Third place to Rudney Dias Nogueira (BRA) in 4:37:59.
50km women
In the women's race victory to Paula Raissa Paz (BRA) in 5:24:35, also securing a place in the Pan-American Cup.
Second place to Elisangela Pereira da Silva (BRA) in 5:35:16.
In the other U20, U18 and U16 events, the victory of Gabriela de Souza Muniz (BRA) with a time of 48:41 which represents the new national record of Brazil in the category should be noted in the 10km U20 women.
The young athlete recorded a passage at 5km of 24:22 and then improved (24:19) in the second part of the race.
(Photos thanks to Wagner Carmo - CBat)