The sixth day of competition welcomes the walkers to Munich on the occasion of the European Championships with the two finals of the 20km walk.
The temperature is ideal around 17° Celsius, with a very high humidity (93%) and it can rain at any moment.
20km men
Thirty athletes show up at the start (8:30).
Among them are Perseus Karkstrom (SWE), who boasts the best European seasonal performance, excluding Russian athletes (1:19:18), Alvaro Martin (ESP), Alberto Amezcua (ESP), Diego Garcia Carrera (ESP), Nils Brembach (GER), Karl Junghannss (GER), Kevin Campion (FRA) and Callum Wilkinson (GBR).
Italy also has a good trio: Francesco Fortunato, Andrea Cosi and the spearhead Massimo Stano who tries to hit a historic goal for Italy: to be able to win the title of European Champion by combining it with the Olympic and World Championships, successful feat in Italy only to Alberto Cova in the 10,000m in the years 1982-1984.
Unfortunately this will not be the case.
The report
- 5km
A group of 14 athletes driving by race with all the best and with these steps:
1km: 4:03
2km: 8:09 (4:06)
3km: 12:12 (4:03)
4km: 16:19 (4:07)
5km: 20:15 (3:58)
At 5km there were 11 left with all the best.
- 10km
Between 5 and 10km the jury has already taken out Brembach, Wilkinson, Senoduncu, and penalized Bordier.
At 8km Korkmaz stretches but is caught after a lap.
These are the steps:
6km: 24:17 (4:02)
7km: 28:15 (3:58)
8km: 32:16 (4:01)
9km: 36:13 (3:57)
10km 40:16 (last km in 4:02, but above all seconds 5km in 20:01) led by Korkmaz, followed by Karlstrom, Stano, Campion, Fortunato, Garcia Carrera and Martin.
- 15km
Shortly before the 14 km on an extension by Alvaro Martin we witness the crisis of Massimo Stano who begins to lose ground together with Francesco Fortunato, who will then recover ground, while the same will not happen for the Olympic and World champion.
At three quarters of the race Alvaro Martin takes the lead (59:52) followed by Karlstrom, Garcia Carrera. Further behind are Korkmaz, Fortunato, Amezcua and Stano.
These are the steps:
11km: 44:14 (3:58)
12km: 48:16 (4:02)
13km: 52:10 (3:54)
14km: 56:05 (4:05)
15km: 59:52 (3:47)
The technical situation sees Korkmaz with two red cards (contact), Martin a red card (contact), Garcia Carrera a red card (contact)
The third 5km was covered in 19:36
- last 5km
Shortly after the passage to 15km Martin extends again and first Karlstrom and then Garcia Carrera come off. It will be the most important action of the race, the one that will decide the fight for medals.
The next steps:
16km: Martin (1:03:39), Garcia Carrera (1:03:44), Karlstrom (1:03:46) followed by further Kormaz
17km: Martin (1:07:28)
18km: Martin seems unreachable and the fight for gold is over. His passage is 1:11:22. But Karlstrom (1:11:33) caught up and passed Garcia Carrera (1:11:58), followed by Amezcua (1:12:06) and Fortunato (1:12:14). Stano is eighth.
19km: Martin (1:15:12)
In the last km the golden day of Spain is confirmed, which after winning in the 35km and fourth place today gets gold, bronze and still fourth place. Well done.
Order of arrival
1.- Alvaro Martin (ESP) in 1:19:11 personal best (previous of 1:19:14 obtained in Podebrady on 16.5.2021)
2.- Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) in 1:19:23
3.- Diego Garcia Carrera (ESP) in 1:19:45
4.- Alberto Amezcua (ESP) in 1:20:00
5.- Francesco Fortunato (ITA) in 1:20:06
6.- Kevin Campion (FRA) in 1:20:47
7.- Salih Korkmaz (TUR) in 1:20:50
8.- Massimo Stano (ITA) in 1:21:18
(Photos by Francesca Grana, ITA per Fidal)