Athletics, World Championships: Stano wins in the 35 km walk

The Olympic champion of the 20 km also wins the world championship gold in Eugene. He is the second medal of the blue expedition

by our correspondent Andrea Buongiovanni

July 24
– Eugene (United States)–

After the Olympic gold, the world gold. Massimo Stano is even more in the history of the march. The blue, from the 20 km of Sapporo to the 35 of Eugene, is always the protagonist. Not even the new distance limits it. Indeed, if possible, he exalts it. The Apulian, less than twelve months after the five-circle feat, consecrated himself. Only the legendary Pole Roberto Korzeniowski had been able to win the world title (in Edmonton 2001 and Paris 2003) as reigning Olympic champion (Sydney 2000). Italy thus returns to the top step of the podium at the World Cup nineteen years after the triumph of Giuseppe Gibilisco, in the auction in Paris 2003.

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The race

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The Japanese Daisuku Matsunaga, perhaps on the wings of the enthusiasm of the gold won in Eugene at the 2014 World Junior Championships, decides to head off alone. He starts to attack and gradually accumulates the advantage: 48 “at the 5th km (20’14”), 52 “at the 10th (40’33”), over a minute around the 13th, still 52 “at the 15th (1h01’10 “). Then, just as quickly, he begins to drop. Behind it is a small group of eight to nine athletes, with Stano always careful and with a profitable action. The hookup takes place shortly after the 20th (1h22’33 “for Matsunaga, 1h22’40” for the pursuers). The real race starts here. The Spaniard Lopez lost contact, then the Mexican Ortiz, then the Colombian Arevalo. At the 25th km it takes 1h43’04 ”. At least eight km from the front arrival there are six. With the blue there are the Swedish Karlstrom, the Mexican Doctor, the Ecuadorian Pintado, the Japanese Kawano and the Chinese Xianghong He. Doctor suffers a third red card and must stop in the penalty box. He is left in five. The selection is now merciless. Exactly as expected. The Peruvian Rodriguez who, dubbed, marches for several kilometers with the first ones annoys the leading group. But then he disappears. It is Stano who gives the first real lunge. Behind, they follow him in single file. The policeman is lucid: he doesn’t lose his supplies, he seems to have everything under control.

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He forcing

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At 30th the clock says 2h03’24 ”, with a partial of 5 km of 20’20”, the fastest of the race. Skip Xianghong He. There are four for three medals: Stano, Karlstrom, Pintado and Kawano. It’s an exciting ending. Always under the pace of the Olympic champion, Pintado loses a few meters. Pintado comes off. And in front, just over three kilometers away, there are three. All, not surprisingly, among the favorites on the eve. There are no tears. Massimo imposes a frenzied but regular pace. It is the 33rd km. After a 4’00 ”1000, it’s Karlstrom’s turn to raise the white flag. The Stano-Kawano duel is exciting. The Japanese grimaces, his mouth is wide open looking for oxygen. There is the banner of the last km. And it is there that the blue tries to give the final thrust. Kawano gets rid of the hat with a gesture that seems to be annoyed. Stano flies. The rival is a couple of meters away. But he doesn’t give up. The meters become five, eight, ten. What action! What a champion! It seems to stumble, but it is only to collect the tricolor. It is triumph! The final time trial says 2h23’14 ”. Kawano arrives at 1 “, Karlstrom at 30”. Holy Stano, holy march.

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