Marathon and Athens open to the mind of the Italian people Stefano Baldini's great victory in the Olympic Games of 2004 in the classic marathon route.
But those Olympic Games also brought a perhaps unexpected, but no less important, in 20 km Race Walk in the first day of the Games with the beautiful victory of Ivano Brugnetti.
Two gold medals in the same edition of the Games in athletics are a performance that in the present days we do not think it can come true even in the most beautiful dreams.
RAce Walking is also this.
Sxinias - Marathonas
Just outside the city in a state of sufficient decorum there is the Olympic Rowing Centre, along the main riverside, starting just in front of the awards ceremonies of 2004, was held today the start of 50 km valid for the Greek Open Championship.
A series of other races of good level of participation such as the 20 km women and two events on the distance of 10 km men and women have made a corollary to the youth competitions with over a hundred participants and the main race.
The presence of athletes Lithuania and Serbia have shown once more that the future shows in open races the goal to pursue.
20 km Women
The victory went to the Lithuanian Brigita Virbalyte with the time of 1:33:54 arrived in the evening before from Cyprus where she is training, and back in the evening.
Second place went to teammate Neringa Aidietyte in 1:34:45 and third place for the Greek Spiridoula Stavrou in 1:42:51.
In fourth place is the junior of Serbia Danica Grogov in 1:54:41 establishing the new national junior record of Serbia (previous Milica Stojanovic of 2:03:40 obtained Balchick in 2014).
10 km Women
Victory to Katerina Theodoropoulou in 50:30 in front of Panagiota Tsinopoulou in 52.29.
Third place goes to Evangelia Vaitsi at 55:27
10 km junior Men
Victory goes to the Lithuanian Daumanantas Liutinskis in 46:51.
The result is not too fancy but we reconciled with the rave walking observing its technical walk, very nice to see, while his coach, the stainless Kastitys Pavillonis shouted trying to walk better and maintain for more time the push. What he could do better than what he was doing we could not understand, but we understand that the care of the technical gesture is still the element of praying certain coaches of the old guard. Bravo Kastitys !
Second place goes to the Serbian Nikola Lilic in 49:50 in front of teammate Iovan Delcev (50:27).
50 km men
Only four athletes at the start: three Greeks and the Serbian Predrag Filipovic who wins the race in a very modest 4:24:35, in front of Konstantinos Dedopoulos (4:27:22) and Konstadinos Stamelos (4:50:42). Ioanis Vaistis DNF.
These split times each 10 km:
Filipovic: 47:37; 1:35:25; 2:25:49; 3:26:03 and 4:24:35
Dedopoulos: 52:48; 1:44:10; 2:33:51; 3:28:18 and 4:27:22
Vaistis: 52:48; 1:44:10; DNF
Stamelos: 57:24; 1:55:04; 2:52:15; 3:49:28 and 4:50:42
Predrag Filipovic during 50 km
Brigita Virbalyte with the cup of the victory