On the banks of the Brda in Bydgoszcz race walking rediscovers its universality.
Who knew, years ago, that race walk was a relegated specialties within Europe have long had to change his mind.
The "Far East" (China and Japan) had already shown and worth its weight in past world championships, and the African continent was facing to the fore last year in Cali at the World Championships U18, with Ethiopia.
Even then it was said that the world was changing.
Bydgoszcz has brought us back on the remarks made last year with an impressive momentum.
We wanted to consider the continents of world athletics in these championships with reference to the number of their appearances in the first 16 places in the final standings (the ones that usually identify themselves as semifinalists).
Europe:
Still keeps the leadership in men with 6 appearances, whereas in women has omly 4 appearances.
Nevertheless, it is still the first continent with 10 appearances.
But to save it are mainly the awakening of Britain that had not won a gold medal in 1964, and Turkey, also for what it has been able to show last week in Tbilisi.
Finland also reappeared after years in the race walking panorama with Taika Nummi, coached by Valentin Kononen.
Some may argue that Russia was absent, but the performance of Turkish athletes and Callum Wilkinson remain and leave their mark.
Asia:
The absolute domination in recent years it is a bit blurred.
After Rome 2016 it was thought in a catch-China, but the choice of sending in Bydgoszcz the second level athletes opened unexpected spaces.
Anyway Asia with six appearances (3 in men and 3 women) is the third continent.
South America:
First continent with eight appearances in semi-finalists (3 in men and 5 women).
Frankly, it was not foreseeable that South America could undermine the leadership of Europe and Asia in the women's field.
The South American continent is investing heavily in race walking.
The silver of an Ecuadorean men U20 reminds and brings to the fore Jefferson Perez, able, unique in the world, to obtain three consecutive victories at the World Championships in Paris, Helsinki and Osaka. If they're roses they'll bloom.
Oceania:
Absent the presence of New Zealand, Australia is represented by three athletes (2 men and 1 woman).
It was thought to something better in the fight for the medals especially in the women's race.
North and Central America:
Absent USA and Canada, Mexico does its part (1 man and 1 woman).
But it also faces in the area of semifinalists Puerto Rico with a female presence.
Africa:
Say Africa is to say Ethiopia.
We would not bet one zloty before the Championships on Ethiopia's medal.
They return home even with a fourth place in men.
It may be objected that their race walk is barely acceptable; the fact remains that Ethiopia is facing in the new world view from Cali.
Imagine that some titled rave walking coach decides to cooperate for a few years in that country by opening a school, and the picture is easily done.
Chatting with Robert Korzeniowski told us that “we need such as oxygen" the African continent and realities such as Ethiopia and South Africa because until now Africa was limited to the countries of Mediterranean Africa.
We think it captured exactly why the survival of race walking itself.
Bydgoszcz: Male and female podium (photo by Giancarlo Colombo - ITA)
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