I pick the pages of "Marcia dal Mondo.com", portal that just Nicola Maggio has promoted and cared as a beloved creature, but above all to be loved, to wish him the sincere greetings of the whole Italian and World race walking.

 

Faced with to celebrating an anniversary the risk is always to be celebratory.

I would try not to be, or be as little as possible, trying to look at this time in a more enlarged point of view.

 

I would use this moment as an opportunity for reflection on the role and the importance of the judges and their dedication to the development and growth of our movement.

Remember these 25 years of service of Nicola in favor of IAAF and race walking is an opportunity to join with him many other judges from long years serving our discipline; I would to say a big “thanks” to all the international and national race walking judges for their work.

 

25 years in the sports world is a lifetime of sport. It means leaving, for better or for worse - I think especially in the well - a tangible and visible mark in  our movement.

 

Nicola Maggio starts from May 1, 1990 to draw his history within the world of international race walking judges, and just in the first race meets the one that will remain  his great friend: the late Domingo Casillas.

Then he meets a few months later at the European Championships in Split (picture footage), in the edition of the victory of Anna Rita Sidoti, also Jean Dahm, today 91 years old, his great teacher and Peter Marlow; at that time, I was still walking.

He started by an event for us Italians very loved, the international race of Sesto San Giovanni, an event which unfortunately is no longer part of the international calendar,  and then be in the following years active in all major World events: the Olympics, the World Championships; the European Championships, the World Cups and Area Cups of ​​race walk; and yet the World and European youth, Mediterranean Games, International Meetings.

 

Attentive to teaching has developed important works for the Group Judges in Italy. Works that many times were appreciated and used abroad.

 

Many athletes have recognized, through their friendship, the important role that he has done over the years. He also received criticism, but has always been able to show that first of all is the passion and love for race walk, and for that love sometimes is worth also withstand these weights, deferring always available to the movement.

 

Again, just the day after tomorrow May 1, 25 years after the May 1, 1990, Nicola will be in service and at the service of our sport in the leg of Taicang (China) of the IAAF Challenge.

 

Thank you Nicola, and thanks to all those of your colleagues who have made and are making sure that race walk will continue to be that family that after all, nevertheless some critical or polemics moments, continues to unite athletes, coaches, fans and of course judges.

 

Maurizio Damilano

 

 

 

 

 

The Jury of Split 1990:

(from left: Domingo Casillas - ESP; Jean Dahm - FRA; Nicola Maggio - ITA; Ladislav Moc - CZE;

Vainjo Kangaspunta - FIN; Georg Frister - DDR

Rune Johannsson - SWE; Gill Wish - GBR)