22/01/2023   Schinias (GRE): Kyriaki Filtisakou and Alexandros Papamichail are the new Greek champions in 35km race walk 2023






 

The Panhellenic Championship 35km men's and women's race walk was the first national event of 2023 of Greece. The races took place in a course located at the Olympic rowing track in Schinias, on Sunday, January 22. Top names in the competition took part in the games, aiming for a strong start ahead of the World Championships in Budapest. The competition will provide the possibility for the best Greek walkers to try their hand at the big annual competitions that are coming up, namely, this year, the European Race Walking Nations Championship, on May 21st, in Podebrady, Czech Republic and, mainly, the World Championships in Athletics, which will take place next August in Budapest, capital of Hungary.
 
The competition circuit has a perimeter of 2km and the penalty zone does not apply in this event as consequence of the decision of technical sector of Greek federation. The start of 35km men and women will be at 10:00. The three international race walking judges requested by World Athletics rules are: Mara Baleani (ITA), José Ganso (POR) and Alexandru Stefan (ROM).

 

 

35km women

 

Women's race is expected to be of great interest, since only the European Champion, Antigoni Ntrisbiotis, who is in a training camp in Australia, has been be absent. The second in last year's event, Kyriaki Filtisakou (Eastern Ionia) wants to chase a performance commensurate with her potential early in the season, while the same applies to the 12th in the summer at 20km on the way to Munich, Christina Papadopoulou.

Wold be of interest and expected with interest the participation Olga Fiaska (Athlos Mytilini), who is returning after last year's health problem.

 

Kyriaki Filtisakou compete alone all the race

Her splits times were:

- 5km: 24:25

- 11km: 53:41

- 15km: 1:13:24

- 21km: 1:42:59

- 25km: 2:03:11

- 31km: 2:36:01

- End of the race in 2:56:59

"I'm definitely not satisfied with the time. The conditions were not as good as I would have liked and that made me not feel well during the race. The preparation has gone well and we are moving forward. I have races ahead of me, both at 35km. as well as in the 20km", said the athlete of coach Kefalopoulos, who will compete in the World Championships in Budapest this summer.

 

Second place to Olga Fiaska in 2:59:13

Third place to Sofia Alikanioti in 3:13:24

 

 

 

 

 

 

35km men

 

Alexandros Papamichail (AO Mykonos) is already on track to qualify for the World Championships in Budapest, as he is in 39th place in the ranking (50 will compete) and in the Schinias race he will have the opportunity for a strong training. He is the favourite of the eve with his personal best of 2:34:48 established in Eugene on 24.7.2022.

 

Papamichail compete alone all 35km also

His splits times were:

- 5km: 23:14

- 11km: 50:56

- 15km: 1:18:25

- 21km: 1:36:52

- 25km: 1:55:19

- 31km: 2:22:48

- End of the race in 2:40:58

 

The experienced athlete completed his race in 2.40.58 in a race where he did not go as fast as he would have liked. "The conditions were not as good as we would have liked. Unfortunately the track at the Rowing Track is quite heavy and does not allow you to chase something good", said the holder of the Panhellenic record and added: "I am in good shape and I think that in another arena I would be able to go around 2.36.

On February 10, Papamikhail will leave for Colombia with the Slovakian team, where he will participate in a training camp for four weeks. "After Colombia I will participate either in a meeting abroad or in the Panhellenic one, while there is also the Balkan one.

 

Second place to Ioannis Kaukas in 2:53:59

Third place to Konstantinos-Alexandros Dedopoulos in 2:59:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other events

 

20km men

 

Andreas Papastergiou (Fokianos Karditsas) won the 20km. Unfortunately he did not achieve his original goal, which was the entry standard for the U23 European Championship. The athlete finished in 1:37:11 with the limit set at 1:35:00.

"I entered the race to make the European limit, but I was tight. After half way I lost my pace and so I lost my goal. I have races ahead of me to achieve the time I want and to reach the performances I can", said the athlete who also improved his record.

 

 

20km women

 

Today it was the  debut of Anastasia Antonopoulos (Ikaros Nea Ionia) on 20km  and it was accompanied by an interesting performance. Although the athlete still belongs to U20 category, she tried at 20km and finished in 1:47:24. "I chose to enter the 20km. to do my first race, mainly for training reasons, but also to familiarize myself with the distance at which I will compete in 2024", said the athlete who even achieved a performance better than the limit for the European U23 Championship, an event in which is not entitled to take part. "I have many races ahead of me to claim the limit (51.15) for the 10km. even in the European U20.

Second place to Foteini Banduna in 2:13:24

 

 

10km U20 men

 

Victory to Georgios Kritoulis in 45:46 (22:58 + 22:38)

Second place to Georgios Kavkalias in 57:49

 

 

10km U20 women

 

Victory to Sevastiani Aslanidou in 54:28 (26:40 + 27:48)

Second place to Anna Adami in 57:37

 
 
 
(Photos by Mara Baleani - ITA, and Segas - GRE)