Second part of today’s news on walking: the marathon
Sofia Fiorini smashed the world record target time in the marathon race walk at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham on Saturday (15) morning.
In summary
- Massimo Stano and Sofia Fiorini establish an Italian double in Birmingham
- Fiorini smashes the world record target time in the women’s marathon race walk
- Stano completes the set of major titles in the men’s marathon race walk
In doing so, Stano finally completes the set of major titles having previously won 20km gold at the 2020 Olympics and 35km gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
Among the top ten results of the entire European Championships, which European Athletics will reward with a bonus of 50 thousand euros, there are also those obtained by Massimo Stano and Sofia Fiorini
It’s the icing on the cake of this glorious day.
Marathon race walk men
It’s a historic success for Stano: after winning the 20km Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 and the 35km World Championships gold in Eugene in 2022, he becomes the third Italian ever to complete the hat trick (Olympic, World, and European Championships).
From the start, Bence Venyercsán (HUN) took the lead and separated the rest of the chasing pack by about thirty seconds, but his advantage never exceeded a minute. Then, around the 30th kilometer, he was caught by Miguel Angel Lopez (ESP) (2:06:27), who overtook him and gained a few seconds’ lead (2:06:31). Behind them were the two Italians Riccardo Orsoni (2:06:39) and Massimo Stano (2:06:40), with Aurelien Quinon (2:07:08) still close behind.
The decisive moment came at the 35th kilometer, when the Apulian champion took the lead and engaged in a duel with Hungary’s Bence Venyercsan until the 38th kilometer. Venyercsan then received a third warning from the judges (a four-minute stoppage and sixth place at 3:01:18).
Spaniard Miguel Angel Lopez was eight seconds ahead, taking silver in 2:56:57, with Frenchman Aurélien Quinion taking bronze (2:59:29). Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom finished fourth (3:00:18), and fellow Italian Riccardo Orsoni fifth in 3:00:44.
Arrival order
1.- Massimo Stano (ITA) in 2:56.49 (European record)
2.- Miguel Angel Lopez (ESP) in 2:56:57 (personal best)
3.- Aurelien Quinon (FRA) in 2:59:29 (personal best)
4.- Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) in 3:00:18 (personal best)
5.- Riccardo Orsoni (ITA) in 3:00:44 (personal best)
6.- Bence Venyercsan (HUN) in 3:01:18
“A victory to share with coach Patrizio Parcesepe, who continues to believe in me, and with all my staff,” said the Italian athlete of the Fiamme Oro. “The more you win, the more the other Italians want to win, and this helps the race walk movement, but I’m happy overall with the entire Italian track and field team: there’s no need to even talk among ourselves, the facts speak for themselves. To be honest, last night I didn’t watch Gimbo Tamberi’s race because I needed to sleep, but when I woke up and saw he’d won gold, it gave me an incredible boost, just like in Tokyo. My wife was on the course with the kids, who are starting to understand what’s going on, and they were giving me high fives… It was so beautiful!“
Marathon race walk women
Sofia Fiorini and Katarzyna Zdzieblo walk shoulder to shoulder from early meters until 25km (1:57:01) were they are followed by Raquel Gonzalez (1:58:18) and the other Italian Eleonora Giorgi (1:58:28) in front of Antiigoni Ntrismpioti (1:58:46).
The situation changes at at the thirtieth kilometer when Fiorini (2:20:04) decided to change pace to open up a huge gap on her rivals. Zdzieblo is second in (2:20.13). From now on, the remaining 42.195km will be a triumphal walk for the young Italian athlete. At 33km Fiorini leads (2:33:43), Zdzieblo is second (2:34:14), followed by González and Ntrismpioti. At 35km Fiorini leads (2:42:41), Zdzieblo always second (2:43:43)
Fiorini stopped the clock at 3:15:11 to easily surpass the world record target time of 3:17:00
which was set by World Athletics in 2025.
Fiorini’s winning time was almost 10 minutes faster than the previous fastest ever time for this newly-established discipline, bettering Paula Milena Torres’ mark of 3:24:37 set at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in April.
In fact, the top four finishers were all inside this time. Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo and Spain’s Raquel González were second and third in 3:19:50 and 3:20:49 respectively with Greece’s Antigoni Ntrismpioti, who swept to a 20km/35km race walk double in Munich 2022, fourth in 3:22:16. The young Tuscan surpassed the target performance of 3:17:00 required by World Athletics to establish the first official world record in the marathon walk.
Arrival order
1.- Sofia Fiorini (ITA) in 3:15.11 (World/European/U23 record)
2.- Katarzyna Zdzieblo (POL) in 3:19:50 (National record)
3.- Raquel Gonzalez (ESP) in 3:20:49 (personal best)
4.- Antigoni Ntrismpioti (GRE) in 3:22:16 (personal best)
5.- Panagiota Tsinopoulou (GRE) in 3:25:14 (personal best)
6.- Hanna Shevchuk (UKR) in 3:26:02 (personal best)
“The marathon requires a bit of waiting, even though waiting isn’t my talent, so I waited until the 28th kilometer, said the Italian new star. Then I got the green signal from the Italian coaches that I could start having fun, and I did! I’ve been living in Milan for two years now, and that’s where I found my true calling. This has been a season of building on the long distance, three marathons, each one more beautiful than the last, but soon I’ll start thinking about the half marathon, which is on the program for the Los Angeles Olympics. My first thought? Of the people who, two months ago, when I said my goal for this race was to break the world record, thought I was crazy because at a European Championships you have to aim for position, but I’m stubborn.”
Photo gallery by Francesca Grana/Fidal and Mark Easton (GBR)
