50km donne/women
Ai 5km passano in quattro in testa: Ines Henriques (POR), Yin Han (CHN), Claire Tallent (AUS) e Li Maocuo (CHN) in 24:38, con un tempo prospettico all'arrivo di 4:06.30.
Ai 10km
Sono in sei in testa alla gara: Ines Henriques (POR), Yin Han (CHN), Claire Tallent (AUS), Li Maocuo (CHN), Rui Liang (CHN), Kang Zhou (CHN) e passano in 49:04-49:05.
Il passaggio ai 15km avviene in 1:13:36 (terzi 5km in 24:32) e rimangono in cinque; Zhou Kang (CHN) che ha perso 10" dalle prime.
Ai 20km
Sono sempre in cinque in testa alla gara e passano in 1:38:12 con i quarti 5km coperti in 24:36.
Zhou Kang (1:40:01) è stata raggiunta e superata dalla compagna di squadra Ma Faying (1:29:10).
Come se non bastasse finisce poco dopo nella Pit Lane Area per la sua penalità di 5 minuti e sarà poi squalificata.
Il passaggio ai 15km avviene in 2:02:51 (terzi 5km in 24:39) e rimangono in quattro.
Seguono: Claire Tallent (2:02:57), Ma Faying (2:04:07), Paola Viviana Perez (2:05:25) e più dietro Julia Takacs (2:07:47)
Ai 30km
La svolta poco prima del 29° km.
Si ferma Ines Henriques per problemi fisici.
Il passaggio ai 30km vede in testa: Yin Han (CHN), Claire Tallent (AUS), Li Maocuo (CHN), Rui Liang (CHN) in 2:28:17.
Seguono: Ma Faying (2:29:11), Paola Viviana Perez (2:30:05), Magaly Bonilla e Johanna Ordones (2:32:57) e più dietro Julia Takacs (2:33:07).
Ulteriore svolta ai 35km dove le tre cinesi passano decidamente in testa in 2:52:53 (7° 5km in 24:36). Seguono Claire Tallent (2:53:34), Ma Faying (2:54:21), Paola Viviana Perez (2:54:40)
Ai 40km
Rui Liang (CHN) guida in 3:17:14 davanti a Li Maocuo (3:17:15), Yin Han (3:17:40) e Claire Tallent (3:19:12).
Gli 8° 5km sono stati coperti in 24:21
Segue Paola Viviana Perez (3:19:36).
Ultimi 5km
Dopo essere passata ai 45km in 3:40:50, Rui Liang (CHN) forza ancora l'andatura e vola verso il nuovo record del mondo.
Vittoria in 4:04:36 nuovo record del mondo.
Secondo posto per Yin Han (CHN) in 4:09:09
Terzo posto, e l'arrivo con uno splendido sorriso, di Claire Tallent (AUS) in 4:09:33
Quarto posto per Paola Viviana Perez (ECU) in 4:12:56.
Quinto posto per Ma Faying (CHN) in 4:13:28
Classifica a squadre
Non ci possono essere dubbi per la vittoria a squadre della Cina (punti 8).
Secondo posto pet l'Ecuador (punti 21)
Terzo posto per l'Ucraina (punti 40)
Quarto posto per la Spagna (punti 41)
(english version)
At 5km in the lead there are: Ines Henriques (POR), Yin Han (CHN), Claire Tallent (AUS) and Li Maocuo (CHN) in 24:38, with a prospective time at the arrival of 4:06:30.
At 10km
Six in the lead: Ines Henriques (POR), Yin Han (CHN), Claire Tallent (AUS), Li Maocuo (CHN), Rui Liang (CHN), Kang Zhou (CHN) and pass in 49:04-49:05.
The passage to the 15km happens in 1:13:36 (thirds 5km in 24:32) and they remain in five; Kang Zhou (CHN) who lost 10" from the first.
At 20km
They are always five in the top of the race and they pass in 1:38:12 with the fourth 5km covered in 24:36.
Zhou Kang (1:40:01) was joined and passed by team-mate Ma Faying (1:29:10).
As if that was not enough, she ends shortly afterwards in the Pit Lane Area for his 5-minute penalty and will be after DQed.
The passage to the 15km is in 2:02:51 (third 5km in 24:39) and remain in four.
Next: Claire Tallent (2:02:57), Ma Faying (2:04:07), Paola Viviana Perez (2:05:25) and more behind Julia Takacs (2:07:47).
At 30km
The turning point just before the 29th km.
Ines Henriques stops for physical problems.
The transition to 30km sees in the lead: Yin Han (CHN), Claire Tallent (AUS), Li Maocuo (CHN), Rui Liang (CHN) in 2:28:17.
They follow: Ma Faying (2:29:11), Paola Viviana Perez (2:30:05), Magaly Bonilla and Johanna Ordones (2:32:57) and more behind Julia Takacs (2:33:07).
Further turning to the 35km where the three Chinese pass decisively in head in 2:52:53 (7th 5km in 24:36). They follow Claire Tallent (2:53:34), Ma Faying (2:54:21), Paola Viviana Perez (2:54:40).
At 40km
Rui Liang (CHN) leads in 3:17:14 in front of Li Maocuo (3:17:15), Yin Han (3:17:40) and Claire Tallent (3:19:12).
The 8th 5km were covered in 24:21
Following is Paola Viviana Perez (3:19:36).
Last 5km
After passing to 45km in 3:40:50, Rui Liang (CHN) still forces the the pace and flies to the new world record.
Victory in 4:04:36 new world record.
Second place to Yin Han (CHN) in 4:09:09
Third place, and the arrival with a beautiful smile, to Claire Tallent (AUS) in 4:09:33
Fourth place to Paola Viviana Perez (ECU) in 4:12:56.
Fifth place to Ma Faying (CHN) in 4:13:28.
Team standings
There can be no doubt about the team victory of China (points 8).
Second place to Ecuador (points 21)
Third place to Ukraine (points 40)
Fourth place to Spain (points 41)
(from IAAF web-site)
Despite having never raced beyond 35km before, China’s Liang Rui upstaged the world gold and silver medallists to win the women’s 50km race walk in a world record* of 4:04:36 at the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships Taicang 2018.
Much of the pre-race focus had been on world champion and world record-holder Ines Henriques of Portugal and China’s world silver medallist and Asian record-holder Yin Hang.
But Liang had hinted at her potential earlier this year when winning a 35km race in Huangshan in 2:49:23, finishing almost a minute ahead of Yin. Liang also had one of the fastest 20km PBs of the field with her 1:28:43 clocking from 2016 and had finished third at that distance at the Chinese National Games last year.
She may have been untested at 50km before today, but Liang was without doubt one of the top prospects in Taicang.
The 23-year-old was part of a six-woman lead pack during the early stages along with compatriots Yin, Li Maocuo and Zhou Khang as well as Henriques and Australia’s Claire Tallent. With Romania’s Marius Cocioran and Ecuador’s Darwin Leon from the men’s race walking alongside them, the lead women passed 10 kilometres in 49:04.
After reaching 15 kilometres in 1:13:36, Zhou received a second warning and dropped back, reducing the lead pack to five women. They passed 20 kilometres in 1:38:12, after which Tallent had to pause for a comfort break, but she rejoined the pack just after half way, which was reached in 2:02:51.
The first big drama of the race came when Henriques dropped out at about 29 kilometres, leaving four women in the lead pack: Liang, Li, Yin and Tallent. Having been inside world record schedule, the pace dropped slightly over the next few laps and the chances of a world record appeared to be slipping away.
With 2:38 on the clock, Tallent tried to make a break but was soon reeled back in by the Chinese trio. A surge of pace from the host nation’s athletes gave them a 41-second lead over Tallent by 40 kilometres, reached in 2:52:53.
Liang then decided to make a break. After covering the penultimate five-kilometre section in 23:36 – by far the quickest split of the race – she had opened up a lead of nearly two minutes over Li and was back on track to break the world record.
Cheered on by the home crowd, the drizzle didn’t dampen Liang’s spirits as she maintained her tempo until the end, crossing the finish line in 4:04:36 to take 80 seconds off the world record set by Henriques at last year’s IAAF World Championships.
“I chose to follow the others at the start to save my energy and then waited for the right moment to break away,” said Liang. “It was after passing 40km that I realised I could break the world record. At that time I felt I still had energy in reserve and could speed up further.”
Li faded in the closing stages as Yin recovered from a slight stumble in the final 200 metres to take silver in 4:09:09, just 11 seconds shy of the PB she set when finishing second at the World Championships last year.
Tallent, who was also making her 50km debut, came through for third place in an Oceanian record of 4:09:33. Ecuador’s Paola Perez finished fourth in a South American record of 4:12:56.
With four athletes finishing in the top seven, China comfortably won the team title. Ecuador picked up the silver medal, while Ukraine edged out Spain by one point to take team bronze.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
20km donne/women
Gruppo quasi compatto per tutto il primo giro.
Ai 5km passano in testa in 22:35 e sono in 18 athlete.
La sorpresa è che Antonella Palmisano è staccata di qualche metro e marcia con Raquel Gonzalez-
Verso i 9km forza il passo Anezka Drahotova ed il gruppo di allunga.
A metà gara passano in 9 nel tempo di 44:40.
Sono tre cinesi (Qieyang Shenjie, Yang Jiayu, Wang Na), Kimberly Garcia (PER), Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX), Erica De Sena (BRA), Eleonora Anna Giorgi (ITA), Anezka Drahotova (CZE) e Sandra Arenas (COL).
Ai 15 km sono in due in testa alla gara: Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) e Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX) che passano in 1:06:11 (parziale di 21:31)
Terza è Yang Jiayu (CHN) in 1:06:13, quarta Erica De Sena (BRA) in 1:06:21, e quinta Eleonora Anna Giorgi (ITA) in 1:06:30.
Allunga subito dopo Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX) che guadagna qualche metro su Qieyang Shenjie (CHN).
Gonzalez passa ai 17km in 1:14:17 e ormai sembra la sicura vincitrice.
Vittoria per Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX) in 1:26:38
Secondo posto per Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) in 1:27:06
Terzo posto per Yang Jiayu (CHN) in 1:27:22
Quarto posto per Erica De Sena (CRA) in 1:28:11
Quinto posto per Eleonora Anna Giorgi (ITA) in 1:28:31 dopo una bellissima gara.
Le altre italiane
Valentina Trapletti fa una grande gara e arriva 16° con il nuovo personl best di 1:30:19
Antonella Palmisano con i postumi dell'influenza arriva 17° in 1:30:29
Eleonora Dominici arriva 33° in 1:33:40
Nicole Colombi arriva 42° in 1:34:33
Classifica a squadre
Vittoria per Cina (punti 17)
Secondo posto per Italia (punti 38)
Terzo posto per Spagna (punti 40)
(English version)
Almost compact the pack throughout the first lap.
At 5km in the lead there are 18 athletes passing in 22:35..
The surprise is that Antonella Palmisano is detached a few meters and walks with Raquel Gonzalez.
Towards 9km, force the pace Anezka Drahotova and the group exploded.
Halfway through the race they pass in nine with the time of 44:40.
They are three Chinese (Qieyang Shenjie, Yang Jiayu, Wang Na), Kimberly Garcia (PER), Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX), Erica De Sena (BRA), Eleonora Anna Giorgi (ITA), Anezka Drahotova (CZE) and Sandra Arenas COL).
At 15 km are two ahead of the race: Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) and Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX) who pass in 1:06:11 (partial of 21:31)
Third is Yang Jiayu (CHN) in 1:06:13, fourth Erica De Sena (BRA) in 1:06:21, and fifth Eleonora Anna Giorgi (ITA) in 1:06:30.
Immediately after forces the pace Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX) who earns a few meters on Qieyang Shenjie (CHN).
Gonzalez passes to 17km in 1:14:17 and now seems the sure winner.
Victory to Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez (MEX) in 1:26:38
Second place to Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) in 1:27:06
Third place to Yang Jiayu (CHN) in 1:27:22
Fourth place to Erica De Sena (CRA) in 1:28:11
Fifth place to Eleonora Anna Giorgi (ITA) in 1:28:31 after a wonderful race.
The other Italians
Valentina Trapletti makes a great race and arrives 16th with the new personl best of 1:30:19
Antonella Palmisano suffer the effects of the flu and arrives 17th in 1:30:29
Eleonora Dominici arrives in 33rd place in 1:33:40
Nicole Colombi arrives in 42nd place in 1:34:33
Team Standings
Victory to Cina (points 7)
Second place to Italy (points 38)
Third place to Italy (points 40)
Defending champion Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez of Mexico produced a storming last five kilometres in the 20km to become the first senior woman in the history of the championships to win back-to-back titles at the at IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships Taicang 2018 on Saturday (5).
The 29-year-old Mexican took just 20 minutes and 27 seconds to cover the last five kilometres of the race. In fact, her split from 14km to 19km was three seconds faster, as she apparently eased down once she realised she had an unbeatable lead in hand in the last kilometre.
However, because Gonzalez was relatively conservative in the opening 14 kilometres, her winning mark of 1:26:38 just fell 21 seconds short of her career best time, which was achieved from her victory in this event two years ago in Rome and has stood as the continental record ever since.
China’s Qieyang Shijie clocked 1:27:06 in front of a jubilant home crowd to add another silver medal to her tally, following medals of the same colour at the last edition of this event two years ago and at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Highly-favoured local race walker Yang Jiayu, who outraced Gonzalez in the home stretch to claim the world title last year in London, had to settle for the bronze medal in 1:27:22.
The race began at 16:30pm under cool conditions with light rain falling from time to time. But the 10-loop contest got off to a relatively slow start as no one seemed keen to set the pace in the early stages.
After the congested lead pack covered the first kilometre in 4:45, Brigita Virbalyte-Dimsiene of Lithuania took a short-live sole lead and was swallowed up by the pack after just one kilometre.
The first five kilometres was covered in 22:35 by a leading group of more than 20 race walkers.
The Czech Republic’s 2014 world U20 champion Anezka Drahotova, who holds the national record of 1:26:53, put in a surge before nine kilometres. This time only eight other women managed to keep up with the tall Drahotova.
The leading nine remained together for another five minutes with Gonzalez walking a vest ahead of the others for most of the time. Once the pack finished the seventh lap, the Mexican launched her powerful charge. She needed just 4:06 t0 finish the next kilometre with the leaders being trimmed to only four including Qieyang, Yang and Brazil’s Olympic bronze medallist Erica De Sena.
As Gonzalez continued to push ahead, the Brazilian dropped off the back first and then Yang quit the battle for the title.
Gonzalez had virtually clinched the gold medal when she broke clear of Qieyang coming up to the 16-kilometre mark. But Gonzalez kept extending her advantage and finished the 17th kilometre in just four minutes, leaving Qieyang 14 seconds in arrears, before wrapping her convincing triumph.
“In fact, I had reached this speed (four minutes per kilometre) before,” said Gonzalez, who covered the second half of the race in 41:58 after an opening half of 44:40. “It’s not my fastest speed yet.
“I felt sick after the race mainly because of the humid weather,” she added. “I always respect the Chinese racers. And China is strong as a team. The Chinese racers are all tough and competitive. I’ve lost (to the Chinese athletes) in previous races. But it is the desire to win that has brought me here today.”
Behind the medallists, De Sena finished fourth in 1:28:11 while Eleonora Giorgi made up for her last-minute disqualification two years ago by placing fifth in 1:28:31. Drahotova was sixth in 1:28:40, her fastest time in three years.
Although they missed out on individual gold, the hosts comfortably won the team title. Italy took the silver medal with 38 points while Spain grabbed the bronze with 40.
Vincent Wu for the IAAF
10km U20 donne/women
Partono in 42
Subito in testa un gruppetto con Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) e Glenda Morejon (ECU) in testa.
Le altre: Nanako Fujii (JPN), Li Wenxiu (CHN), Ma Li (CHN), Meryem Bekmez (TUR) e Noelia Vargas (CRC).
Il passaggio ai 5km è di 23:09
Nella seconda parte di gara allungano Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) e Glenda Morejon (ECU) con una seconda parte di gara rispettivamente di 21:59 (Gonzalez) e 22:04 (Morejon).
Vittoria per Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) in 45:08
Secondo posto a Glenda Morejon (ECU) in 45:13
Terzo posto a Nanako Fukii (JPN) in 45:29
Quarto posto a Li Wenxiu (CHN) in 45:51
Quinto posto a Meryem Bekmez (TUR) in 46:14
L'unica Italiana in gara, Valeria Di Sabato, arriva 24° in 51:10 vicinissima al personal best.
Classifica a squadre
Vittoria per la Cina (punti 10)
Secondo posto per l'Ecuador (punti 13)
Terzo posto per la Turchia (punti 15)
Quarto posto per il Giappone (punti 20)
Quinto posto per il Perù (punti 28)
(english version)
They start in 42
A small group led by Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) and Glenda Morejon (ECU) in the lead.
The others: Nanako Fujii (JPN), Li Wenxiu (CHN), Ma Li (CHN), Meryem Bekmez (TUR) and Noelia Vargas (CRC).
The passage to the 5km is 23:09
In the second part of the race force the pace Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) and Glenda Morejon (ECU) with a second part of the race respectively of 21:59 (Gonzalez) and 22:04 (Morejon).
Victory for Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) in 45:08
Second place at Glenda Morejon (ECU) in 45:13
Third place to Nanako Fukii (JPN) in 45:29
Fourth place in Li Wenxiu (CHN) in 45:51
Fifth place in Meryem Bekmez (TUR) in 46.14
The only Italian in the race, Valeria Di Sabato, arrives 24th in 51:10 very close to the personal best.
Team standings
Victory for China (points 10)
Second place for Ecuador (points 13)
Third place for Turkey (points 15)
Fourth place for Japan (points 20)
Fifth place for Peru (points 28)
(from IAAF web-site)
The U20 women’s 10km race walk at the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships Taicang 2018 witnessed a thrilling battle between three athletes on the final two-kilometre loop as Alegna Gonzalez of Mexico bettered her own North American U20 record with 45:08.
A leading pack of nine race walkers covered the first half of the race in 23:09. The group continued to shrink in the next one-and-a-half laps following a series of mini breaks from different athletes.
By the time they took the bell, the leaders were down to three with Gonzalez alongside Japan’s Nanako Fujii and Ecuador’s world U18 champion Glenda Morejon. Katie Hayward of Australia was the sole chaser, six seconds in arrears.
Fujii, who will celebrate her 19th birthday on Monday, tried to surge ahead but only managed to break clear of Gonzalez, as Morejon followed closely behind the Japanese.
The spotlight was mainly on the leading duo as Fujii tried to defend her pole position, but the Ecuadorian waited patiently in close attendance for the right moment to pass.
It seemed as though Gonzalez might even lose the chance of a podium finish after she was gradually reeled in by Hayward – the world leading U20 race walker on the track with a 10,000m personal best of 45:57 set in February – before they rounded the penultimate turn.
After the leading two hit the nine-kilometre mark, Morejon, who boasts a PB of 45:16, overtook Fujii. Meanwhile, Hayward was given a third red card, which meant her hopes of a medal had virtually vanished. The Australian soon received a fourth red card and was disqualified, even before serving a one-minute time penalty in the pit lane area.
Fujii was caught by Gonzalez on the last turn and the Mexican went on to narrow the gap between her and Morejon, metre by metre.
The Ecuadorian looked surprised when she glanced back and saw Gonzalez was just metres behind. And there was nothing she could do to stop the Mexican from passing her.
Gonzalez strode past Morejon less than 200 metres before the finish and never looked back to break the tape with a nine-second improvement on her lifetime best.
Morejon lagged five seconds behind to take the silver medal while Fujii trimmed 13 second from her PB to finish third in 45:29.
China’s Li Wenxiu took fourth place with 45:51, followed by Meryem Bekmez of Turkey.
Highly-favoured local race walker Ma Li, the runner-up from the last edition of this event in Rome and owner of the fastest PB in the entry list, dropped out of the leading pack after seven kilometres and finished sixth in 46:49. She still managed to earn a team gold for her country, though.
Ecuador finished second in the team standings, and the Turkish team earned bronze.
Vincent Wu for the IAAF