Twenty years ago, July 26, 1996 entered the history of the world race walk the man who can be considered one of the greatest champions of the last three decades: the only one able to win three times in a row the title of World Champion in Paris in 2003, in Helsinki in 2005 and Osaka in 2007.

Jefferson Perez, Jeff for Jeff friends, on the fluid course of Atlanta, won the first gold medal for a Country that until then had been on the edge of the Olympic limelight, Ecuador.

And he did it in exciting ways.

In the leading group with Ilya Markow (RUS), Bernardo Segura (MEX), Nick A'Hern (AUS) and Rishat Shafikov (RUS), Jefferson Perez had passed the 4km in 16:49 and to 8 km in 32:59 with the pack lead by Rishat Shafikov.

The pack cover 12km in 48:57 and then at 16km (in 1:04:45) it was still seven to play for medals.

Together with the five it was also Aigars Fadejevs (LAT) and Miguel Rodriguez (MEX).

The pack shrunk as the race wit on shortly before the turn of the 18km race.

Jefferson Perez leads and Miguel Rodriguez (MEX) is disqualified shortly after about 1.5 km to go.

Rishat Shafikov (RUS), Bernardo Segura (MEX) and Nick A'Hern (AUS) fell back and try to resist to Perez only Ilya Markov (RUS).

The last km of Perez is exciting and we again propose to our readers in the video-clips with commentary from the Ecuadorian television.

Jefferson Perez won in 1:20:07 with thirty meters of Ilya Markov (1:20:18).

Bronze was Bernardo Segura in 1:20:23.

Nick A'Hern was fourth in 1:20:31 in front of Rishat Shafikov (1:20:41), Aigars Fadejevs (1:20:47).

Seventh and eighth respectively Mikhail Shchennikov (RUS - 1: 09.21) and Robert Korzeniowski (POL - 1:21:13).

Six athletes in the space of 40 seconds was the shortest gap in the history of the Olympic 20km road walk.

At the start were 60 representing 30 countries.