The first day of the European Youth Championships being held in Tbilisi will start immediately with the female race walk that's the first event to award medals.
5.000m track walk U18 girls
Preview
It's always difficult to juggle between the results of the youth categories, but this year it is even more.
In the top 15 times in the European list U18 girls in 2016, nine are Russian athletes who can not participate in the championships as affected by the international ban; remains one of Spain (Marina Pena - 23:35.64), which looks like the real favorite, one of Portugal (Ines Reis - 23:58.98), one of Poland (Zuzana Drygalska - 24:21:46), one of Great Britain (Sophie Lewis Ward - 24:24.47, though capable of a 23:36 in road with second place in Podebrady) and two of Italy (Anthea - 24:03.2 and Angelica Mirabello - 24:20.04), of which one (Anthea) does not compete for technical choice.
Among these athletes, who should fight for the podium, there are also the two Turkish, Meryem Bekmez (22:53 on road with her victory in Podebrady this year) and Ayse Tekdal sixth in Cali last year in 23:14.82 and the other Spanish girl Antia Chamosa (24:26.55)
Distant the possibility that the European U18 girl record over the distance of 5.000m track walk that belongs to the Russian Tatyana Kalmykova (Ostrava, July 7, 2012) could be broken.
The race
Eighteen athletes at the start.
Immediately goes to lead Ayse Tekdal (TUR) passing at 1.000m in 4:37.10 and also leading to 2.000m in 9:14:27 (4:37:17).
At the third kilometer goes to lead the teammate Meryem Bekmez (TUR) in 13:48.83 (split 4:34.56).
She continue covering 4.000m is 18:22:58 (split 4:33.75)
The two Turkish athletes were among the favorites, but predict a scoring twice was a bit difficult.
Vince Meryem Bekmez with personal best on track 22:50.22 (improving the Podebrady time on the road).
Silver goes to teammate Ayse Tekdal in 22:58.17.
The bronze goes instead to the Spanish Marina Pena in 23:05.90.
The first six athletes arrived they all got the personal best.
The Italians: Angelica Mirabello arrives in ninth place (24:40.39), while Alessia Mastronicola is 13th in 25:11.19.
A phase of female race (photo by Giancarlo Colombo - ITA)
Marina Pena celebrates bronze (photo by FB- Giacinto Garzon Jimenez - ESP)
Angelica Mirabello during the race