Beginning with the men's race the walkin events of the European Championships U23.
The races are held in a beautiful park, but on a very narrow course and certainly not worthy for a Euroopean U23 Championship; they could and should have done better..
20 km road walk men
Twentyfive athletes at the start.
Early lead the spanish Alvaro Martin passing to 2 km in 8:58, followed by the greek Konstantinos Dedopoulos, and the german Nils Brembach (8:59).
The Italians: Vito Minei is 14th in 9:03; Francesco Fortunato is 19th and Michele Antonelli is 21th both in 9:05
4 km:
Always leads Alvaro Martin (17:36) followed by the greek Konstantinos Dedopoulos. third is Lithuanian Marius Savelskis.
in the leading group also three Russians Pavel Parshin, Kirill Frolov, Nikolay Markov and German Nils Brembach.
The Italians: Vito Minei is 10th in 17:38; Michele Antonelli is 15th in 17:38 and Francesco Fortunato is 19th in 17:42.
6km:
Alvaro Martin leads in 26.00.
Together with him the Russian trio and the German, with the other Spanish Marc Tur and Vito Minei which is 7th in 26:04.
Other Italians: Michele Antonelli is 12th in 26:08 and Francesco Fortunato is the 17th in 26.22.
8km:
Always to lead Alvaro Martin and Nikolay Markov (34:10). In third position Marc Tur together with Kirill Frolov (34:19).
Follow Nils Brembach, Pavel Parshin and Vito Minei in a couple of seconds.
Other Italian: Michele Antonelli is 13th in 34:43 and Francesco Fortunato is 16th in 35:02.
10 km (half race)
Nikolay Markov and Alvaro Martin leading the race in 42:27.
Third is Marc Tur though in 42:55 (two red cards). Vito Minei fourth (42:55) in front of Pavel Parshin (too with two red cards), and Nils Brenbach.
Other Italians: Michele Antonelli is 11th in 43:18 and Francesco Fortunato is16th in 43:46.
12km
Still leading the Russian-Spanish pair in 50:41 (Markov suffers a red card for <)
Kirill Frolov is now third in the group with Minei, Tur, Brembach and Parshin (51:31).
The technical situation is unchanged.
Other Italian: Michele Antonelli is 10th in 51:51 and Francesco Fortunato is 14th in 52:34.
14km
It does not change for leaders who pass the 14km in 59:12
In third place Marc Tur (1:00:06) together with the other chasing group.
The other Italian: Michele Antonelli is doing a good race and is 9th in 1:00:33, while Francesco Fortunato was 14th in 1:01:26.
16km
Alvaro Martin leads (1:07:30) followed by Nikolay Markov (1:07:31).
Third is Marc Tur (1:08:39), fourth is Pavel Garshin (1:08:39) both with two red cards against them.
Fifth is Vito Minei (1:08:41), followed by Nils Brembach (1:08:44) who was also with two red card (~~).
Michele Antonelli is now 10th in 1:09:10 (~), while Francesco Fortunato was 12th in 1:10:18.
18km
Shortly after the 16 km mark was disqualified the Spanish Marc Tur (>>>).
The Russian Nikolay Markov forced the pace towards the 17 km mark and now leads the race in 1:15:33 (split of 8:03) in front of Alvaro Martin in 1:15:50.
Third is the other Russian Pabel Parshin (~>) in 1:16:59 in front of Vito Minei in 1:17:15.
Michele Antonelli is now 9th in 1:18:14, while Francesco Fortunato is 11th in 1:19:32.
Gold and silver seem to be safe. Perhaps for the bronze it is still something to say.
Arrival
Nikolay Markov won in 1:23:49
Silver to Alvaro Martin in 1:24:51.
The bronze goes to Pavel Parshin in 1:15:26 leaving Vito Minei in fourth place in 1:25:46 (personal best).
Fifth the other Spanish Francisco Jose Duran (1:26:30) who gets the better of Nils Brembach (1:26:30)
Michele Antonelli (very good race fro him) is 9th in 1:27:17 while Francesco Fortunato is 11th in 1:28:20.
20 km road walk women
They start in 24 with the underdogs divided between Anezka Drahotova and Lyumyla Olyanovska.
2km
Immediately the two favorites go to lead and passes in 8:51 with the Belarus Daryia Balkunets.
Follow the two Russian Mariya Ponomaryova and Nadezhda Sergeyeva (8:51).
The Italians: Mariavittoria Becchetti is 12th in 9:50 and Nicole Colombi is 18th in 9:54.
4km
Olyanovska (17:59) leads the race with a group with Balkunets, Drahotova, Ponomaryova, Sergeyeva and Balkunets (18:00).
It follows in 6th position Laura Garicia-Caro (ESP) in 18:09.
The Italian: Mariavittoria Becchetti is 8th in 19:27 and Nicole Colombi is 15th in 19:36.
6 km
In four are leading the race (Drahotova, Olyanovska, Ponomaryova and Sergeyeva) in 27:01.
Followed by Belarus in 27:05 and Laura Garcia-Caro in 27:14.
Mariavittoria Becchetti is 8th in 29:07, while Nicole Colombi is 14th in 29:22.
8 km
Olyanovska, Drahotova and Ponomaryeva (35:50) lead the race.
It follows the other Russian.
In fifth place the Spanish Laura Garcia-Caro (36:12).
The Italians: Mariavittoria Bechetti is 9th in 38:47 together allw two Spanish Amanda Cano and Mar Juarez, while Nicole Colombi is 11th in 39:06.
10 km (half race)
Always in three to lead the race in 44.46.
Laura Garcia-Caro is now 4th in 45:20 in front of Sergeteva (45:21) and the belarus Balkunets (45:28).
Seventh in the Belarus Viktoryia Rashchupkina in 46:30.
Mariavittoria Becchetti is 8th in 48:21, while Nicole Colombi is 11th in 48:53.
The situation of the red cards sees only Ponomaryova immune, while both Drahotova that Olyanovska, the Sergeyeva and Garcia-Caro suffer from a red card.
12 km
Anezka Drahotova and Mariya Ponomaryova forced the pace and pass in 53:14 with 6" lead over Olyanovska (53:20).
Fourth is always Laura Garcia-Caro (54:28), in front of Daryia Balkunets (LTU) in 54:42.
Mariavittoria Becchetti is still in eighth place in 57:56 with 10" ahead of Spanish Amanda Cano. Nicole Colombi is 11th in 58:49.
14 km
Anezka Drahotova and Mariya Ponomaryova always together in 1:01:48 followed by Lyudmyla Olyanovska in 1:02:02.
Fourth is always the Spanish Laura Carcia-Caro (1:03:42 with two red cards >~) in front of Dayia Balkunets (1:04:03) and Nadezhda Sergeyeva (1:04:05).
Mariavittoria Becchetti (~) is firmly eighth in 1:07:38 with 22" ahead of Amanda Cano.
Nicole Colombi is 11th in 1:08:49 (>).
16 km
Anezka Drahotova and Mariya Ponomaryova always together in 1:10:27 (leads the Russian that seems more brisk) followed by Lyudmyla Olyanovska in 1:10:50
Always the Spanish fourth (1:13:02) followed by Sergeyeva (1:13:29) and Balkunets (1:13:30).
For gold is expected to be a fight between the two leaders.
Mariavittoria Becchetti is firmly in eighth place in 1:17:20 with a 28" ahed over Amanda Cano.
Nicole Colombi is 10th in 1:18:37.
18km
Always with the leading pair (1:19:04) with now 42" ahead of Olyanovska (1:19:46).
Fourth Laura Garcia-Caro (1:22:28) who sees but closer Nadezhda Sergeyeva (1:22:55).
In sixth place always Daryia Balkunets (1:23:07)
Mariavittoria Becchetti pass Viktoryia Rashchupkina and is seventh in 1:26:59 and Nicole Colombi is 10th in 1:28:51.
Arrival
In last lap force the pace Maria Pnomoaryova going to win in 1:27:18 (championship record) on Anezka Drahotova (1:27:25).
Third is Lyudmila Olyanovska in 1:28:41.
Fight and resist to the return of the Russian Nadezhda Sergeyeva, Laura Garcia-Caro and arrives fourth in 1:31:52 ahead of the Russian in 1:32:13 (personal best).
Sixth is the Belarusi Daryia Balkunets (1.32: 36) in front of a beautiful Mariavittoria Becchetti in 1:36:33 which has the best on the other Belarus Viktoryia Rashchupkina eighth in 1:37:14.
Very good race also for Nicole Colombi arrived 10th with the personal best of 1:38:50.
The Italians
In the team as well as other new names and already known.
At male level liked Vito Minei to fight for a medal until the end and failed for only 21".
It also loved Michele Antonelli, for the stubbornness with which he fought; an athlete much changed compared to 2014.
A little subdued Francesco Fortunato expected that at least on the timing of Taicang 2014; we hope this is just a bad day.
A-level female satisfaction is double.
For Mariavittoria Becchetti that enters into the finalists with a time around his best (excluded a race of which we will talk about later) and even more for Nicole Colombi for having obtained ner personal best with a very interesting race also from technichal poin of view.
Congratulations to all five.
The start of 20 km men (by Giancarlo Colombo per Fidal)
A phase of 20 km men (by Giancarlo Colombo per Fidal)
U23 of Italy with Fidal president and Head Coach (photo by facebook Diego Cacchiarelli - ITA)
Podium of 20 km women