Who is Zhang Yao ?

In the 10,000-meter ltrack walk in Nairobi, Zhang Yao (CHN) won by a fast final (last 2 km in 7:58) on Russian (competing under the ANA flag), Salavat Ilkaev and on the day's surprise, Dominican Ndingiti who preceded very little by the other Russian (ANA Flag) Sergey Kozhevnikov.

The Chinese athlete has endured his hard work with the time of 41:12:01, the world's newest best performance at U18 leve. This year, Zhang Yao played an exceptional season.

He started Huanshan (CHN) winning at 41:32, then he came to Saluzzo, along with another 6 athletes and two coaches, for a 40-day training stage. During this time he competed in Lugano (SUI), where he won with 41:14 and Rio Maior, first in 41:49. His personal best on 10 km. was obtained last year in Taicang on April 23, walking 10km rod walk in 40:53.

Born on January 11, 2000 in Erdos, Innner-Mongolia Province, he was trained by former fifty-year-old Alan Gadasu. Technically it is already very evolved and its pace is pleasant to see. Not very tall, but well structured muscular. He remembers the Slovak champion Pribilinec very much in the physical and the kind of walk.

Despite the young age he already has trainings with impregnating workloads (120/130 km per week) at high pace. This could be a problem in its future growth !?