Sunday, March 20 took place in Cassino the first leg of the National Club’s Championship of race walking and simultaneously a leg of Lazio race walking trophy reserved to U16 categories.

For me that was missing from walking races for a long time it was an opportunity both to see old friends and to review a bit my old and beloved “walk”. That of Cassino was truly a beautiful event with many athletes, especially with many participants in the races of the youth categories and with a nice frame for the public.

Just attend the youth competitions was for me food for thought, as it has been to observe the youth competitions in other sports; I try to figure out what purpose it is researched, especially by the coaches who train young athletes. Race walk is a high technical specialty and in my opinion promote the technique in youngest plays an even more important role.

From what I could see, and without being presumptuous, I had a fear that in some cases (not all, mind you, and perhaps not even intentionally) the search for the fastest chrono "early and rewarding" is preferred to an efficient technical and stylistic approach. Unfortunately Cassino, from this point of view, it was not a shining example!

Absolutely without considering the individual cases, but I think especially at a young age, even before building the "engine" of the future champion is necessary to insist more on the development of all those skills aimed to obtain a walking technique as much as possible in compliance with the Rules and also effective as to minimize the energy cost of the technical gesture itself.

A senior walker is well aware of how to have a "risky walk” can not give him peace of mind to face a race with the right serenity and without fear of incurring in DQs. Moreover a similarly unprofitable walk may cause the early onset of fatigue by preventing the achievement of good results and thwarting the efforts made in training.

About this item I think might be important to not only the role of experts but also and above all that of the judges, that maybe they should not be afraid to be more rigorous and punish any case with some "red card" in most not orthodox walk, although in youngest walkers.

A healthy smack may not be as exaggerated, but rather a teaching maybe as hard as necessary. First goad would be not to deceive the athlete on his correct technique. The same athlete could in future years do not understand that any disqualified may not depend on a regression technique, but simply from being become older and then be faced with less softened judges against “a no more kid".

Also in relation to the theme of judgment, the rule of "Pit Lane" I think it can be an interesting tool to place the athlete's attention to the care of the technical and compliance with the Rules. Stop time can be better than persisting in chrono result by careless athletes after having received warnings.

The 60" to 120" (depending on the race) stop and seeing in front of him the “procession” of all the opponents left behind even with 400m or more, it can not fail to reflect on what the same situation could instead be more appropriate a different and better management of the received warnings, slowing the pace, improving if possible the technical and losing in this way less time and positions with respect to what happens in receiving the penalty.

My personal impression, mind you, but I see in the "Pit Lane" a more educational punishment than the "red card”. Pit Lane can make people understand the impact of the judgment on the result of their own race.

Enrico Lang - Ostopath - ex walker