It says that "the strength of an idea is directly proportional to the courage to put it into practice".
Well, our friends of JAAF (Japan Federation of Athletics) and Wajima they have this courage and put it into practice.
Play the 101st edition of the 50km race walk is in itself an extremely positive fact, but always play on the third Sunday of April in Wajima let us remember an advertiging a few years ago when we listen that some items "are priceless".
The writer remember that in 2014 here in Wajima asked amazed ato Fumio Imamura, Head Coach of JAAF, how he could think that his athletes selected in the third Sunday of April, could participate in Taicang on May 2, at the World Cup, received this simple answer "but we do not compete in 50km in Taicang, for us, the tradition has a value that goes absolutely respected".
This respect is that friends of JAAF, led by the former volcanic walker which is Akira Fujisaki, deserve when they pursue steadfastly their goal and their program.
It would seem that the last two seasons this sowing has produced a good crop.
Probably in Wajima we will go again. This charming town known for an outdoor market of fish every Saturday morning, which is repeated for a hundred years, it will reach the same commendable goal with the organization of 50km.
All this in a time when the discussion about 50km fortunately in last days became more paceful than the previous.
It remains, however, the strength of the idea of 50km, and hopefully hoping that other friends around the world will agree, that of Wajima is saturated with courage and persistence to the core.
Thanks Wajima, thanks JAAF, and in the meantime we wait for 2018 the organization of the first 50km women in the land of Japan.
50km men
And now we come to the 50km which sees the start of 28 athletes.
Immediately goes to lead a group consisting of Hirooki Arai (JPN), Takayuki Tanii (JPN), Satoshi Maruo (JPN), Eiki Takahashi (JPN - which, however, competes only on 20km).
They pass to 5km in 22:28 and at 10km in 44:47 with a split to the second 5km of 22:19.
At 20km
Guide the group Koichiro Morioka (JPN) in 1:29:24 followed by Eiki Takahashi (JPN) and Hirooki Arai (JPN), Takayuki Tanii (JPN), Satoshi Maruo (JPN).
For the first group this second part of the race was covered in:
from 10 to 15km in 22:15
from 15 to 20km in 22:23
At 30km
The fifth 5km are crossed by Hirooki Arai (JPN) and Satoshi Maruo (JPN) in 22:25, while Morioka and Tanii lost some meters.
Hirooki Arai (JPN) and Satoshi Maruo (JPN) continue shoulder to shoulder even in sixths 5km which leads them to 30km in 2:14:20.
At 30km also stop Koichiro Morioka (JPN) that finish his race in 2:16:27 and Takayuki Tanii (JPN), which instead has finished in 2:16:06.
At 40km
The top couple is still together at 35km (2:37:03 with the last 5km in 22:43)
Immediately after Arai force the pace and begins to gain meters.
At 40km there are 18 seconds in front of Maruo: Arai in 2:59:56 (22:53) and Maruo in 3:00:14 (23:11).
For the third place has recovered some positions Hayato Katsuki (JPN) passing in 3:04:34
Last 5km
The race has no history for the victory.
The bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro up the pace between 40km and 45km (23:26) and then decided to enjoy the victory with the last quiet 5km in 23:56.
Victory to Hirooki Arai (JPN) in 3:47:18
Second place to Satoshi Maruo (JPN) in 3:49:17 (24:19 between 40 and 45 and 24:44 the last 5km).
Third place went to Hayato Katsuki (JPN) in 3:49:49 (22:48 between 40 and 45 and 22:27 the last 5km) that in the last 10km almost successfully completes an incredible comeback that led him to only 32" from a unexpected silver.
They finish the race in thirteen with 8 DNF and 7 DQ