Perfect day with an air temperature between 7° C and 19° C. and a humidity around 40%.
And if a good day starts in the morning, start very well Race Walking for Italy in Podebrady.
5 km U18 boys
Victory to the Italian Giacomo Brandi, who started as one of the favorite, with a time of 22:08
We confirm victorious in U18 boys level: last year we had won with Pietro Zabbeni in 23:05.
Despite two red cards against him (that now is collecting too many times in last competions both in Italy and now abroad) the pupil of Carlo Mattioli has the better, by a wide margin, of the Czech Filip Srbecký (23:27) and the German Niklas Richter (23:37).
5 km U18 girls
Anthea Mirabello who was part of the Italian team, finished second in 24:08.
The twin sister Angelica Mirabello who competed as individual arrived fifth in 24:45.
Even in this test the twins Mirabello give proof of maturity, coming, Anthea, close to the success that last year had reached Vanessa Tomei though with a time of 24:31.
Wins the race the German Tereza Zurek in 23:47, while in third place arrives the English Sophie Ward (24:17).
10 km Junior women
Even in this race a success hoped and expected, as the Italian leader Noemi Stella was credited by the second time (47:11 fruit of victory right here at Podebrady last year)), followed by one of the Lithuanian twins Živilė Vaicikevičiuté (47:20) and preceded by the Polish Katarzyna Zdziebło (47 :10).
The victory however is obtained by Noemi Stella in 46:58, new personal best.
Second place to Polish Katarzyna Zdzieblo (48:11) and thir place to Zivilé Vaicikevičiuté (48:36).
Eleonora Dominici is fourth (last year was third) in 49:12 (the same time of past year).
Victory per team of Italy (5 points) in front of Poland (8 points) and Lithuania (8 points).
10 km Junior men
Victory goes to the Slovak Miroslav Úradník (first also in 2014 in 42:01) in 42:36 in front of the Hungarian Bence Venyercsan (42:49)
Third place to Gregorio Angelini in 42:59.
Gianluca Picchiottino is ninth in 45:19 while Stefano Chiesa is 11th in 45:29.
Victory per team of Italy (9 points) in front of Slovakia (12 points) and Lithuania (14 points).
Unfortunately, however, the great individual satisfaction for the Italian fans are at the end; the rest it was known that the Italian team was made up of young people (not all) with the goal to do experience. This is already a great satisfaction.
20 km women
Never ceases however to amaze Tatyana Gabellone (31 years old next Oct. 20) , who lives, works and trains in England.
With a great test of character the athlete coached by Mark Wall center an excellent fifth place in the women's race with a time of 1:35:51.
Federica Curiazzi instead is eighth in 1:38:14, decidedly subdued (nel 2014: 1:36:30).
Mariavittoria Becchetti suffer from a bad day and arrives 15th in 1:41:29 very distant from the personal best (in 2014: DNF)
For the record, the victory went to the Lithuanian Brigita Virbalyté in 1:31:10.
Second place for the Slovak Maria Czakova (1:32:23) and third to Anežka Drahotova (1:33:30).
Victory per team of Lithuania (8 points) in front of Italy (9 points) and Czech Republic (14 points).
20 km men
Even the men's race doesn't offer many satisfactions.
The first of the Italia athlete sis Teodorico Caporaso, specialist of 50 km, arrived 13th in 1:25:46.
Michele Antonelli ends instead the race in 24th place with the time of 1:29:19 far from that so much good time (1:25:14) obtained in Cassino two weeks ago.
Alessandro Maltoni arrives 32nd in 1:33:11far from persaonal best of 1:26:35.
For the record, the victory went to the German Christopher Linke in 1:20:37, in front of the Slovak Matej Toth (1:20:51).
Third place went to Erick Barrondo in 1:21:39.
Victory per team of Slovakia (7 points) in front of Italy (17 points) and Ukraine (18 points).
Note of color in the three female races: three pairs of twins competed in different races.
In U18 girls the Italian Anthea and Angelica Mirabello, respectively arrived 2nd and 5th.
In junior women the Lithuanian Živilė and Monika Vaicikevičiuté, respectively arrived 3rd and 5th.
In senior the representatives of the Czech Republic, Anežka and Eliška Drahotova respectively arrived 3rd and 29th.
Race walking is this too !
(cover photo by Frederic Bianchi - SUI)
Giacomo Brandi during 5 km U18 boys where he won
Gregorio Angelini during the race (photo by Marina Lodovici)
Eleonora Dominici during the race (photo by Marina Lodovici)