“Italy Wins Two Golds and Two Silvers in European Team Championship March, Maria Perez Sets New World Record over 35km”

Italy is still great in the march. Two golds and as many silvers in the European team championship which was held in Podebrady, in the Czech Republic. Also noteworthy is the new world record of the Spanish Maria Perez over 35 km with a time of 2h37’15”.

Short distance

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The two blue victories instead come from the 20 km. Among the men Francesco Fortunato, Apulian from Andria, prevailed, who preceded the Swedish world bronze Persus Karlstroem and Massimo Stano, Apulian from Palo del Colle, but born in Grumo Appula (Bari). Massimo Cosi’s 11th place contributed to the Italian triumph over the Spanish team. Blue gold on the same distance even among women. The individual race was won by the Greek Antigoni Ntrisimpioti, Palmisano’s irreducible rival, who finished with an excellent silver, an even more important placement if we consider that the 31-year-old Olympian returned to the race a few weeks ago on the 10 km in Madrid after almost two years of absence from competitions due to physical problems. The 8th place of Valentina Trapletti and the 11th of Alexandrina Mihai contributed to determining the first place of the Azzurri, while Eleonora Giorgi, often a protagonist in the past, finished 18th, but with a smile given that she has just returned to the competitive activity after maternity.

Longest distance

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New world record set by Maria Perez, originally from Andalusia over 35 km with a time of 2h37’15”. Over the longest distance, she improves by 29 seconds on the previous limit which since March 25 belonged to the Peruvian Kimberly Garcia, double reigning world champion (in Eugene last summer she won both the 20 and 35 km). Perez, who improved by two minutes and a second, leads an all-Spanish podium: second Raquel Gonzalez (2h45’42”), third Christina Montesinos (2h45’58”). however, the Azzurri conquered silver thanks to Federica Curiazzi, fourth with a personal best of 2h49’39”, in fifth place by Nicole Colombi (she too with a personal best of 2h52’13”). Both from Bergamo, their embrace at the end of the match was an exciting postcard for the blue movement. In the men’s race another individual Spanish success with Alvaro Martin in 2h25’35” (Iberian national record), ahead of the German Christopher Linke (2h27’05”, German national record) and the other Spaniard Miguel Angel Lopez (2h27’33”) . Again, Azzurri silver thanks to Andrea Agrusti, 5th (2h30’15”), Riccardo Orsoni, 6th (2h30’38”) and the Piedmontese Stefano Chiesa in 12th place.