We propose some reflections and statistical data from the comparison between Copa Panamerica de Marcha and the Europan Race Walking Cup in Podebrady
Lima vs. Podebrady individuals
Dear old Europe, despite your economic difficulties, in race walk, you always lives, resists and even wins.
Even without Russia's battleship, the distance comparison between Lima and Podebrady has resolved in favor of the second with even appreciable results.
Examine them with the help of the following tables
20km men
| Venue | Athlete | Result | Points | Venue | Athlete | Result | Points |
| | | | | | | | |
| Lima | Arevalo Eider | 1:21:01 | 1.169 | Podebrady | Linke Christopher | 1:19:28 | 1.202 |
| | Thorne Benjamin | 1:21:16 | 1.164 | | Miguel Angel Lopez | 1:20:21 | 1.183 |
| | Pineda Omar | 1:22:00 | 1.148 | | Perseus Karlstrom | 1:20:40 | 1.176 |
| | | Total | 3.481 | | | Total | 3.561 |
| | | Average | 1.160 | | | Average | 1.187 |
The difference of 27 points in IAAF table be equivalent to
- average performance of first three athletes in Lima: 1:21:27
- average performance of first three athletes in Podebrady: 1:20:12
20km women
| Venue | Athlete | Result | Points | Venue | Athlete | Result | Points |
| | | | | | | | |
| Lima | Gonzalez Maria Guadalupe | 1:28:09 | 1.170 | Podebrady | Palmisano Antonella | 1:27:57 | 1.173 |
| | Garcia Kimberly | 1:29:15 | 1.150 | | Cabecinha Ana | 1:29:44 | 1.141 |
| | Paula Bibiana Perez | 1:30:30 | 1.128 | | Laura Garcia-Caro | 1:29:57 | 1.138 |
| | | Total | 3.449 | | | Total | 3.452 |
| | | Average | 1.150 | | | Average | 1.151 |
The difference of 1 point in IAAF table be equivalent to
- average performance of first three athletes in Lima: 1:29:17
- average performance of first three athletes in Podebrady: 1:29:14
50km men
| Venue | Athlete | Result | Points | Venue | Athlete | Result | Points |
| | | | | | | | |
| Lima | Villanueva Claudio Paulino | 3:51:35 | 1.153 | Podebrady | Banzeruk Ivan | 3:48:15 | 1.173 |
| | Lopez Luis Fernando | 3:51:35 | 1.153 | | Hlavan Ihor | 3:48:38 | 1.171 |
| | José Montagna | 3:58:28 | 1.113 | | Antonelli Michele | 3:49:07 | 1.168 |
| | | Total | 3.419 | | | Total | 3.512 |
| | | Average | 1.140 | | | Average | 1.171 |
The difference of 31 points in IAAF table be equivalent to
- average performance of first three athletes in Lima: 3:53:52
- average performance of first three athletes in Podebrady: 3:48:39
The three tables tell us that if we had an imaginary match between a European athlete and a Pan-American (our Mr. Average), the European athlete would have:
- left behind his Pan-American colleague for more or less 200m in the 20km men
- had to fight until the arrival to have the best saddle on his Pan-American fellow in the 20km women
- left behind his Pan-American colleague for over 1.300m. in 50km.
However, to repeat the same exercise with respect to the U20 categories (on the 10km distance), a totally different scenario emerges.
Let's immediately say that in both cases the average U20 Pan-American athlete would have won on his European colleague
- a little of (a dozen meters) in the male race
- about 250m in the women's race
10km U20 men
| Venue | Athlete | Result | Points | Venue | Athlete | Result | Points |
| | | | | | | | |
| Lima | Hurtado David | 40:56 | 1.091 | Podebrady | Kopp Leo | 41:08 | 1.082 |
| | Ortiz José Eduardo | 40:58 | 1.089 | | Kaliada Mikita | 41:19 | 1.075 |
| | Solis Gustavo | 41:33 | 1.065 | | Niedzialek Lukasz | 41:28 | 1.068 |
| | | Total | 3.245 | | | Total | 3.225 |
| | | Average | 1.082 | | | Average | 1.075 |
The difference of 7 points in IAAF table be equivalent to
- average performance of first three athletes in Lima: 41:09
- average performance of first three athletes in Podebrady: 41:19
10km U20 women
| Venue | Athlete | Result | Points | Venue | Athlete | Result | Points |
| | | | | | | | |
| Lima | Gonzalez Alegna | 45:17 | 1.091 | Podebrady | Smerdova Yana | 46:39 | 1.031 |
| | Montoia Maria | 46:20 | 1.089 | | Berkmez Meryem | 46:48 | 1.025 |
| | Morejon Glenda | 46:27 | 1.065 | | Zurek Teresa | 46:51 | 1.024 |
| | | Total | 3.245 | | | Total | 3.080 |
| | | Average | 1.082 | | | Average | 1.027 |
The difference of 55 points in IAAF table be equivalent to
- average performance of first three athletes in Lima: 45:10
- average performance of first three athletes in: 46:46
Lima vs. Podebrady per Nations
We have only considered the Nations that have been ranked in all events
| Venue | Nation | 50km | 10km M | 10km W | 20km M | 20km W | Total |
| | | | | | | | |
| Podebrady | Spain | 28 | 28 | 10 | 18 | 20 | 104 |
| | Italy | 16 | 21 | 38 | 34 | 65 | 174 |
| | Ukraine | 8 | 14 | 36 | 37 | 80 | 175 |
| | | | | | | | |
| Lima | Colombia | 14 | 14 | 11 | 28 | 15 | 82 |
| | Ecuador | 17 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 23 | 85 |
The most important considerations are two:
- the absence of Mexico in the overall ranking of Lima
- the diversity of the scores is a consequence of the different number of athletes in the races, which in the Europa Cup at Podebrady was much more
(cover photo from the archine of Czech Federation)