They were held Saturday April 16, in Flòrina in Greece the Balkan Championships 20 km road walk that served for some Contries also as a selection for the Olympic Games.
The race day was hot, and the temperature also exceeded 30° C.
The races were held on a beautiful course of 2km very large in the industrial area of Flòrina, with a good organization by the Federation of Greece.
Race walking in the Balkans is developing, and the results, even if the performances is not similar to the ones we are used to, they were still interesting for the local movement.
20 km men
The victory went to Adrian Ionut Dragomir (ROU) who finished his race with a time of 1:31:32.
The silver medal went to Özgür Ozan Pamuk (TUR) with a time of 1:31:58.
The bronze went to Predrag Filipovic (SBR) that has completed the race in 1:32:48.
At the start immediately go to lead the athletes of Turkey, Serkan Dogan and Recep Celik who led the race up to 10km.
After half race Recep Celik has lost contact with the head.
The Romanian Adrian Ionut Dragomir and the other Turkish Özgür Ozan Pamuk who supported Serkan Dogan into the lead.
Serkan Dogan was disqualified around the 17 km and since then Dragomir and Ozan Pamuk have played the victory resisting to the return of Serbian Predrag Filipovic.
In total 14 athletes at the start of which nine have completed the race, 2 DQ and 4 DNF.
20 km women
Ten athletes at the start.
No difficulty for the Greek Panagiota Tsinopoulou to win the Championships with a time of 1:38:29.
In second place was her teammate Ekaterini Theodoropoulou (1:43:29).
The bronze goes to the neck of the Serbian Dusica Topic in 1:44:37.
Eight athletes have completed the race, 2 DNF
Panagiota Tsinopoulou winner in 20 km women
Serkan Dogan leads the race before being DQ'ed